The "I Don't Wannas"

Whoo, that was a trip yesterday.

I've been considering signing Daniel up for a kids martial arts class for some time. Found one I thought I liked, and we moved a little bit slowly. Just went and watched a class one visit. The next time, we could try one out without paying so he participated in his street clothes. He said he wanted to do it, would wear the uniform, etc. so Tuesday was his first official class and the second one was Friday/yesterday. And he wigged out. Shrieking about how he didn't want to wear this (uniform), didn't want to go, please listen to me! At top volume. I gave him my best bland face, didn't get mad, but bundled him into the car anyway. Commotion the whole way there.

To be fair, I think a couple of things were going on. He napped late, and I pretty much had to wake him to go to class. Naps have been all over the board lately. They could happen at any time, and could be a) a two hour affair b) a 15 minute power nap or c) nothing at all. Makes it hard to plan some days. Being woken up, popped in your uniform and hustled to the car probably doesn't put you in a good frame of mind. He's also been a bit shy lately around strange men. Tuesday's class, while he did fine in it, also had two older (teenage) students (guys) who were helping and who towered over the little tykes. Everything went fine, but I started to wonder if he felt a little intimidated. The usual helper is a girl, and the instructor is also a woman.

A little bribery of an ice cream after class ensued. (He responded with: Ice cream first! - nice try, kid...) With a bit of sniffling, we got him into class and once there he hopped around and seemed to enjoy it.

Technically yes, coming to a class like this is optional. I guess I feel like we committed to this, and I want him to at least see it through the 8 week session and then decide if he wants to continue. There are going to be plenty of things coming up where he will have no choice but to continue - we start preschool in the fall, for example. How do you deal with the "I don't wannas?"

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Photo courtesy of: AP An Oscar Mayer Weinermobile crashed into a home in Mt. Pleasant WI yesterday...