Quiting Habit

I really don't want my son to grow up a quitter. But sometimes, I feel that I still need to cut him some slack - cos I'm not really sure whether he was interested to take it up in the first place. Or did he take up due to ahem... my 'strong' suggestion/cajoling.

However, sometimes, I stand my ground. Adamant he continues. Or at least... plotting for a way for him to continue.

The thing is, since early this year, Kor-Kor has quited on 2 things.

First, he quited on his kung-fu class (something like wu shu). One of my friends who has a son of same age with Kor-Kor, suggested that it might be fun for them to try this out, since it was not expensive; and didn't need to buy expensive uniforms like tai-kwan-do or karate. Initially both the boys hit it off, so he enjoyed the class. But six months down the road, he started complaining that he didn't like my friend's son la, didn't like the class la, got other boys punched him la, etc. So after 1 year, when he started Std 1, I finally gave up too (it was also getting more & more difficult to drive him there bloody early on Sat morn too!).

Secondly, he quited on his music class. But this one, the music teacher was partly to blame, disappearing numerous times for one or two months, for the 2 years he was teaching my son. How to keep up the interest rite? Anyway, Kor-Kor finally drew the line when he knows that his mommy is staying at home and should be taking him to playground instead. I let him win this one, plotting instead to get him & Di-Di to do this together when Di-Di is ready, haha!

Then...he wanted to quit swimming class. I started him on swim lessons last year end long hols. The first 10 lessons dragged out to beginning of this year cos it was usually raining in the evening, or else, either, we or the instructor had other things to attend.

For this one, I admit...I'm the pushy mom, he was not that keen in the first place. But then, the 2 of them always like water (& we like beach hols) & Kor-Kor has no qualms about jumping into the deep end. For me, that's a major problem, cos i need to really closely watch them. So it would help if they know how to swim. (Also, the doc says Kor-Kor has asthmatic tendencies, so swimming would help to strengthen his lungs.)

He was okay for first one or two lessons. Then the complains started. Lesson boring la. He already know how to swim la (he knows how to move a bit, yes! but still looks dangerously like drowning in deep end). Don't like instructor la. And the most classic - instructor fat la & he doesn't like fat people la!

Aiyoyo, I nearly fainted.

But for this one, I plotted & negotiated. The instructor....or ME! I would teach....

...Very reluctantly! Know why, cos I know Kor-Kor would be giving me a lot of 'attitude' that would drive me insane! And it would not do to throttle my son in front of a pool of strangers! (Its ok to do it at home when nobody can see, but not in public view, rite?)

But I'm happy to report that we have been doing this for 6-7 times already (progressing very slow), and Kor-Kor is still in one piece, though he really did pull out all the punches man...like running la, making faces la, talking nonsense la, giggling la. Deep yoga breathing really helps!

Though I must admit I did squeeze his thigh really hard once or twice (thigh under water, not noticeable), grab his arm roughly to drag him back (must stop when I saw other mommies eyeing at me), threathening to send him back to the instructor (he prefer me, dunno why), threathening to cut his tv time, etc.

The best is still rewards. For breast stroke hands & legs coordination, I really need him to concentrate, so his reward for doing correctly is Ben 10 Alien Force series, episode by episode. He now got episode 1-4 on hand already, so I think can buy 1 disc...

If anybody thinks I've a screw loose, in my defence, I actually don't plan to do this for long (don't plan to age before my time). I'm just the interim instructor, my plan is to send him to another instructor, who is not fat, haha!