What to do!!!!!! After watching Dylan is a sports camp last summer, Corinne decided she wanted to play basketball. She heard her old soccer coach was coaching so I signed her up. Of course she hates it. It is coed and everyone seems so good. She is trying very hard but in her own word she "stinks". During practice the coach divides them up for relays and other contests and she always makes her team lose. It was very painful to watch her feel so humiliated. There is a weekly practice and weekend games. She wants to quit.
My first reaction is that..no...you can't quit a team. You have to hold up that commitment. But...as my good friend J pointed out..this is a time where it's so important to nurture her self-esteem. I don't know what to do. Do we suffer through the next 2.5 months or do I let her quit (be a quitter.)?? HMMMMMMMMMMM
**Nikki..I didn't get too far with my present replacement as many things were sold out. I'll be returning at a couple of stores soon but it's not too big of a deal.
3 comments:
I'd let her quit. But before she quits, maybe have her pick something else she would like to try and get her signed up. I think it's hard to get back on the horse when you fail at something but if she is ready to go with something else it might stop the fear of failing from taking hold.
Maybe talk with her about sometimes it takes trying a few different things to find something you enjoy and she can just see this as her first stab at finding something.
But I'd definitely let her off the hook if she wants off. :)
I too think for her own self-esteem, it's better to quit. Especially if she is very verbal at the practices/games, because you know how quickly kids can influence each other, and no point in getting them thinking along the same lines. But I agree with Casey. See if there's something else she's ready to try. I think there is a big difference between quitting something because it's too difficult, and quitting because you really, truly dislike it. My parents let me quit piano lessons at age 8, and I regret it terribly. But my desire to quit stemmed from just not wanting to practice when I could be playing. I never felt inadequant or angry with myself for not doing it well. I think in Corinne's case, don't force her to stay on the team for the sake of 'there's no 'I' in team mentality'. She's way too young to have to worry about unity crap. :)
I know how hard that is, we have had to deal with this ourselves with Sullivan. I told him,"If you don't want to play then lets not join next season but you have to finish this season because these other kids are counting on you to be part of the team." I also added,"they know that you are doing your best and that is all they ask of you." He finished the season and at the end he told me that he had fun but doesn't want to play that sport again.
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