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Old 03-13-2007, 03:21 AM   #2
Paulo Barreto
Dojo: Faculdade de Ciências (APADA)
Location: Lisbon
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 16
Portugal
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Re: Eat Your Veggies

Mr. Valdez,

First a little light comment on "What does that have to do with anything? We are not talking about what we like...". How long do you think you'll be able to use that line before your son develops some smart reply?

Now on to more serious matters that, being a parent myself, sometimes worry me (my daughter is only two so i still have a lot of time to worry about these things ).

Your son being four you can, of course, put your foot down and make your son go to practice. As parents we all understand that sometimes we must make our children do something they don't wish because in the long term its better for them.
The crux of the matter is: what if by making him go train you are inadvertently making him associate Aikido practice to something he would rather not do and in the long run causes him to leave Aikido when he is able to choose?

Guess I'm a little worried that my children won't want to practice Aikido when they are older, and that by making them go to practice we're, in some way, contributing to their dislike of the art.

Thank you for your column and the change for discuss these matters. Parenting is, in my view, always about balance.
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