How long do you give your dc in club before you let them leave?

[Honeypie19]

Ds is 7, he started rugby around almost a year ago, its once a week for training for an hour Thursday and Sunday for 90 mins - possible actual game. He loved it at first and would be a joy to take to.

These days its a struggle sometimes to get him away from the ipad and to get changed to go - he says he hates it but when we spoke it seems he hates the roughness of the other boys - in my opinion and do's hes the worst one there and crosses the line regularly between playing and starting to push the other boys, he doesn't like it when they do it back.

At what point do you say ok you can leave? I want him to learn about discipline and team work but hes also started martial arts and self defence which he seems to enjoy more?

I struggle with this too. Mine are great joiners, they want to join everything and then change their mind.

I've started giving them a bit of a talk before joining something to say, if I pay for this now you need to finish the term. However, if they are genuinely unhappy to go I'll let them stop.

If it's a team I make them finish the season.

I'd cut down on his ipad time and see if it's that first. I'd probably want mine to finish the term.

You need to set iPad limits for a start. I think most children err on the lazy side and would much rather sit in their comfortable house playing computer games than being outside!

However, rugby isn't for everyone. It is really rough and there are lots of other team sports that he could try that aren't so rough. 2 hours a week of rugby training when you don't enjoy it are a lot.

If he played for a year let him leave. Martial arts is fine. Kids don't needs loads of activities all the time. One a couple of times a week is enough.

First of all, I'd ditch the iPad before practice. He can have it after. See if that makes a difference.
If he still wants to stop, I'd let him. He is giving you actual, credible reasons rather than a whiney "I don't want to go". Having said that, mine have to finish the term I've paid for, I wouldn't let them stop half way through.

agree with cutting the ipad time before, and also that if he's in a team he needs to give decent notice before leaving.

But martial arts is very disciplined, isn't it - absolute respect in the dojo and no exceptions kind of thing?

DD always had to finish term / season / whatever certificate she was working towards before she left any club, and had to decide what club she was going to join instead but it sounds like you have that covered with martial arts.

Maybe tell him to stay til Christmas? Also gives him a chance to change his mind if he's just had a bad week.

Thanks all. The iPad rarely makes an appearance now he's back at school and is usually just a weekend thing. Ive told him he can leave at the October half term is he wants to and he seems ok with this.

The martial arts was my idea - he took to it instantly and loved it, the guy who teaches is fab with the kids so its fun also and he said instantly he wanted to do this rather than rugby which I was happy to encourage.

Also want to throw in swimming lessons somewhere there too so will look to do that after October half term.