After over 3 years of training my son (11 years old) wants to quit BJJ. It makes me kinda sad honestly and I'm not sure if I should just just let it happen. I somewhat understand cause he wants to wrestle and run. They both offer competitions more often and both are more sociable for him cause pretty much at BJJ it's usually just him and another couple kids in each class and a tournament only rolls around like twice a year. My thoughts are I hate for him to just throw away 3 years of practice and he is actually pretty good ie he has 5 naga tournament wins and has never lost a match in Gi. After spending over 3 years at our BJJ place I obviously have a lot of good feelings about the place too and after going there 3 days a week for 3 years it just doesnt seem right to stop going.
So do I just let him move on to other sports or try to get him to go once a week or something just to keep the door open?
Let him do what he wants...he will just resent it even more if you make him continue...also convince him that bjj will help him with his wreslting
Given that its summer now and wrestling or track wouldn't start until the fall, give him some time to think about it.
Let him take time off. The training hasn't been for nothing, those skills will always be there. He'll probably grow to miss it soon enough.
He isn't throwing it away. He'll remember what he learned and if he goes into wrestling it will be good for him.
its not like hes going to ballet breh. Let the kid wrestle, it'll make hime much better and mentally tougher anyways.
Good input, I appreciate it.
I do understand it's not like he is just wanting to stay home and play video games even though it's summer he is still wrestling a few nights a week and is just wanting to do that instead of going to BJJ. I also understand that trying to do 3 sports spreads a person thin I guess I just feel a bit guilty about leaving a place we have been going to for so long.
forcing him to do it, is the biggest mistake you can make
Dude if he wants to wrestle, let the kid wrestle. Its only going to make him a hundred times more awesome when he goes back to bjj.
He is trying to tell you that he's not gay.
Helio would nt be pleased... I seem to remember an entry in his diary about locking someone in a chicken coop for not wanting to go to practice.
Let him do whatever he wants, kids are into things for a while,then lose interest and they become interested in something else. Don't sweat it,let him take a break,if he wants to keep taking it he'll let you know.
Sebastiaan - forcing him to do it, is the biggest mistake you can make
Oh, I'm not forcing him whatsoever and we have not been in weeks. Im just trying to figure out if I should negotiate with him and try to get him to go once a week even just to keep it alive in him.
Personally, I like wrestling better and see its benefits mentally, socially and physically. He's also done well in it ie 3rd at Cliff Kleen Worlds a couple months ago and beat the runner up at Tulsa Nationals on his way to 3rd place.
Just feel bad leaving the people that got him started.
Screw it, yall are right and going once a week wouldnt be enought to improve his BJJ anyway. He would just stay the same and get frustrated most likely.
The kids 11 for fucks sake, stop being such a pushy parent.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Let him make his own decision, he's likely to return to bjj on his own. You should tell him and encourage him that if he wants to quit, you're okay with that, and if he ever wants to return, you'll support him.
If he is really going to wrestle and run I would let him do those things. But is wrestling and running the next things he is going to quit. I know some kids will quit things when it gets hard. Try to find out his real reason for quitting. Is he just not having fun anymore or is it something else.
Kids dont know what they want but need to learn to make decisions on their own. I would tell him to continue with his commitment for the next 3 months. If he still wants to take a break from training, then fine. I do this "delayed gratification" technique on my kids all the time and I think it helps.
Same thing happened with me and my son a few weeks ago. He's 9 and been training about a year and a half. As sad as it made me I chose to just let it ride as well. My only requirement for him is that he is in a sport.
Of course I hope that someday he gets interested again.
Let him do what he wants. Your childhood is over and you shouldn't be re-living it through his.
If he's going into wrestling, that's a good thing.
After his high school wrestling career is over, he'll get back into BJJ and be better for it.
Maybe he'll learn not to butt-flop in wrestling....