Posted by Howard Richman on August 17 2008 at 10:12:19:
Today´s York Daily Record advice column with Tom Kuyper features a homeschooling question. Here is a selection:
Dear Tom, my 8-year-old daughter was in a homeschool physical education class last year. Half the time (or more) I had to bribe her to participate. I told her she had to do regular school work while her sister and friends played PE if she didn´t participate. Most of the time given the choice of book work or PE, she´d do PE. Sometimes she´d get into it, sometimes not. She´d say, "Makes me tired," or "I don´t want to run laps," etc. Lots of times she´d get into the fun and play. But it was definitely a hard sell.HowardMy question: Should I "make" her do it next year? Or find other ways of encouraging physical activity? She roller skates around the house all day if we let her. She rides her bike when the weather´s nice. She does cartwheels in parking lots and hallways, and takes dance once a week for an hour.
Does she need a structured PE class all year to teach her things like softball, field hockey, etc.? Thanks.
-- K.Y.
Dear K.Y., it comes down to that same issue of getting our kids to own it and to be self-motivated. Remember that we can push our kids to do things that we want them to do, but so many times it pushes them out. They become internally frustrated and resent the activity....
It sounds like once she gets involved, she has a good time, so don´t make it an option. If she knows this is what she does on these days at these times, because that is what her parents feel is best for her, and it´s not really up for discussion, she may learn to find the positive side of the PE class.
So keep her doing cartwheels in parking lots and she can bring a new slant to PE class. Cart wheeling to first base might be just the thing to keep her motivated to come to PE and the others may join in!