My 5 year old son asked to take dance class so I signed him up for a 13 week session of hip hop at a community centre. He went to 3 classes and seemed to enjoy it, he liked showing off his new steps that he had learned. Last weekend, he didn't want to go. I was having a rough day so I didn't push it, told him it was ok (we would have been late anyway, and I didn't want to fight him). Then yesterday,he comes up to me and says "By the way, I don't want to go to dance class anymore" I tried to ask him why, and he just said "it's no fun". Should I push him to go to the remaining classes since he asked for them in the first place (teach him a lesson about not quitting, finishing what you start)? or just move on?
2006-10-04 06:20:01 · 27 answers · asked by who-wants-to-know 6 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
I would try to get a better answer out of him than "It's no fun." If he doesn't want to go just because he isn't enjoying it or because he's struggling, than I would make him finish (quitters never win, blah blah blah).
But, if he's having trouble with another student or even the teacher, than I would try and work that out before making him go back. If it's not something that can be easily resolved, than I think it would be okay to let him quit.
2006-10-04 06:32:57 · answer #1 · answered by aldera22 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Finishing what you start is a very important lesson that to many kids now a days do not learn. Tell him that he has nine weeks left and he must finish what he has committed himself to. After the nine weeks is up, he doesn't ever have to do it again if he doesn't want to. Point out to him that the teachers as well as his classmates are counting on him to be there (I am assuming there will be some sort of program or recital in the end to show what they have learned). You may need to push him to address the issue why he wants to quite in the first place, especially since he enjoyed it so in the beginning. Is someone that he looks up to or has to be around making fun of him for being in dance. If that is the case this could also be used as a lesson on doing things that you enjoy for yourself and not trying to do things (or not) to impress other people. Best of luck to you.
2006-10-04 13:53:04 · answer #2 · answered by bluekitty8098 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends. letting him quit everything isn't good, but if he doesn't honestly want to, then he may develops a negative attitude towards you and etc. ( Its NEVER too young) The problem is most likely kids are teasing him. Kids these days are being REALLY mean, even at such a young age.
The question is, does he like his instructor/ Is any of his friends in his class? Does he want to do another activity?
Another great solution is to see if any other mothers see this happening to their child/ If so, maybe the kids could take up another activity together, say, a shorter one. 5 yr old normally don't have a loooooonnnnnng attention span, and interest in loooonnng, regular activity. Or maybe go to the dances together, and watch him during his class. He'll feel connected, and when you get home you can truly say "Yeah I saw you do _______, and it was GREAT!"
2006-10-04 16:34:40 · answer #3 · answered by PussyCat Dolly 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you think that maybe his friends are teasing him about going to dance class?? Boys at this age are starting to get a lot more into gender roles... Hip-Hop isn't exactly girly, but at age 5 it isn't well differentiated between other types of dance classes...
Even so, I think it's important to keep taking him. Ask his teacher if there's something you can do at home to keep his interest spiked. And, at the end of the 13 weeks, give him some kind of reward for making it through, and don't make him do it again (which I'm sure you won't!).
2006-10-04 15:05:30 · answer #4 · answered by sokkermum 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
By all means have him finish the session of dance classes that you have paid for. My daughter wanted to take gymnastics, then she decided she didn't like it. I made her finish the season but that after that if she didn't want to take it again we wouldn't enroll. She decided not to and now takes dance and karate and loves it. If I had put her in the class without her permission I wouldn't have made her finish it, but since she asked, I made her finish. And try talking to your son, maybe something happened in class that made him uncomfortable, embarrassed, or maybe he's having problems with the teacher or another kid in there. Even if any of those things are the case, make him finish the class or else he'll learn it's okay to quit. After the session let him pick something else to sign up for, or maybe by then he'll be enjoying the class again. Good Luck.
2006-10-04 14:14:41 · answer #5 · answered by nimo22 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that depends on why your son doesn't want to go anymore. Maybe your son feels threatened or is just getting a bad vibe from someone at the center. If you're not staying to watch your son during the class, you really can't know what is going on during the class. If that's not the case, we've all thought we wanted to do something, then realized later it just wasn't what we thought it would be later.
Your son is only 5 years old. As a parent, if I were in the same situation, I would just give my son a short lecture on making sure he wants to do a given activity in the future, then I would allow him to drop the remaining classes.
2006-10-04 13:35:35 · answer #6 · answered by loveblue 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that you can teach two important lessons by insisting that he finish the classes that he asked to take. First, you can teach him the value of getting the most out of what you have purchased and second, you are encouraging him to persevere. Tell him that you will see if you are able to get a refund or partial refund, but if you arent then you would expect him not to waste the family's money. Tell him that you understand that sometimes we dont feel like doing something, but that he has a responsibility to something that he signed up to do. You will teach him the meaning of committment.
2006-10-04 14:59:57 · answer #7 · answered by Jo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tough call you need to find out why he doesn't want to go anymore. Has someone teased him about being in the class or has he just lost interest. My daughter took dance thur her day care loved it the first year so I signed her up for a second but she never wanted to go because she didn't want to do the year end dance ( at the time she was shy in crowds) because of this I didn't push her to go and found another activity for her to do.
2006-10-04 13:30:34 · answer #8 · answered by ellc123 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think this would be a good opportunity to teach him to follow through with what he says / wants to do. He made a commitment to be in this class and he has to understand that a commitment means something. I know he is only 5 and it's extra curricular activities...but it will be a valued lesson when he gets older. My daughter doesn't want to go to her CCD classes, cause she says they are no fun...I tell her, it's not supposed to be fun all the time, you are there to learn. And before you all start making cracks about her going to CCD to learn about God, it was her choice to go, I don't make her...but did tell her that after her 8th grade confirmation she would be able to choose her own religion.
2006-10-04 14:28:17 · answer #9 · answered by Mom to Foster Children 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the lesson of following through is very important. Explain that the classes were something he wanted, and when they are complete after the 13 weeks, he doesn't have to continue. 5 yrs is a very tough age, but by teaching him to follow through, you are setting him up with a life lesson that will shape the adult that he will become.
2006-10-04 13:30:31 · answer #10 · answered by onewikkedwoman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋