“ I NEVER do Easy!”

This is one of my favorite sayings. It is about developing self-control then ultimately discipline in your child.

Can you imagine your child not just working hard but being even more motivated and driven the harder something gets? This will not only effect how they do in school, but later in how they do in their job and even their relationships.

We are going to talk more about this in the New Parent Orientation Friday but it starts with developing a “Growth Mindset” in your child and family.

What is much more common today in this “everything comes too fast and easy” world is developing a fixed mindset where they want to quit or give up at the first sign that something is hard or when they do not get it right the first time. Where they see challenges and problems as things to avoid. Where they say the words “I can’t” too often especially before they even try.

You guessed it parents. We want to help you teach your child to “Never Do Easy!” After developing a growth mindset in your child and family the next step is teaching your child that it is all about making a choice. It is really just a habit. Either you always have the habit of choosing the easy way or the habit of choosing the harder more challenging way. What habit has your child formed?

While most parents want their children to have a good life you do not want them to have an “easy” life. Because when children get everything too easily and too fast they will never learn the character traits most essential to success and happiness. These are things like courage, discipline, hard work, grit and integrity. These cannot be learned just by talking about them. They cannot be learned by just watching them. They cannot be learned by you just modeling them. They can only be learned by doing them. And not just doing them but doing them in a very emotional state. This is why the stresses of fear, hardship, boredom and failure at so crucial for your child to experience here at the dojo! (*The way you can tell they are experiencing these is when they say things like “I am bored!”, “I can’t!” and “This is too hard!”)

Have high expectations and standards. At every turn teach them the success habit of always choosing the harder option!

See you at the dojo,

Sensei