StaceyL in Canada Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 All four of my sons have been involved in karate for a number of years, but it seems to be losing its appeal to them. The oldest (now 19) achieved his adult black belt but quit soon after. The second son (17) also achieved his black belt and taught at the karate school as well, but had to leave due to health issues. Son #3 (almost 15) has his senior kids black belt and would be eligible to test for his adult black in another year; son #4 (10) will be testing for his junior kids black belt in November. Problem: son #3 has been losing interest for some time, complaining that the adult class which he attends just drills the same things repeatedly and focuses too much on grappling, which he does not enjoy (neither did the other boys). The sparring is also much more intense than at the junior levels, and many injuries have occurred. However, if he leaves, we're not sure what he could do instead for fitness. There are no sports programs around for homeschoolers, and he is not inclined to try the Y or such places where he would know no one. And I'm sensing that the 10-yr-old is no longer very keen either--I doubt he will want to continue for more than another year or so. What do other hs'ed kids/ teens do for fitness? Are our children involved in homeschool sports programs, or have you gotten involved with the local Y or community centre? I'm really not sure what to do about this; we have been at this karate school for 6 years , but in that time it has become increasingly a "business" geared towards the youngest children (the owner even opened up an indoor playground and plans "special events" there which are advertised at the karate school). The choice of karate was good at the time --my older three had been involved in the local soccer program for a few years, but had at times been taunted for being hs'ed, and karate allowed them to focus on individual skills, as well as engage in a fitness activity year-round. But the shine has worn off... I've asked if they would like to seek out another karate school but that doesn't appeal to them. Obviously I would like my sons to continue with a regular form of exercise/ fitness, but I just don't know how to pursue this. Any ideas? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grace is Sufficient Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 my daughter takes horseback riding lessons at a nearby farm. I don't know that it's the best fitness, but it's something. Oh, and I let her get a dog because she promised to walk it every day. That's setting the bar nice and low! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 What about hiking? We recently started this as a family. There is a state park near us with several different defined walking trails. It's great exercise, combines nature study, and is very inexpensive. It's a skill they could take wherever they go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 In my limited experience, karate is an expensive endeavor. (DH did karate when we got married until first child was born. Then he decided it took too much time from home.) If you could save the money and buy a mountain bike... DH loves to bike through the woods. We have hills here, not mountains. I go with him, but I really hold him back. Around here they have bike "playgrounds" too. Things that require lots of balance and are fun to do besides. My girls have always enjoyed soccer. We just signed my oldest up for a local rec league. I figure at a U15 age, these are girls who didn't make the high school team. They play at a good level. My dd should improve playing with them. And the parents aren't over the top (yet anyway) on the sidelines. Down here there are lots of sports opportunities. You just have to look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 All four of my sons have been involved in karate for a number of years, but it seems to be losing its appeal to them. The oldest (now 19) achieved his adult black belt but quit soon after. The second son (17) also achieved his black belt and taught at the karate school as well, but had to leave due to health issues. Son #3 (almost 15) has his senior kids black belt and would be eligible to test for his adult black in another year; son #4 (10) will be testing for his junior kids black belt in November. Problem: son #3 has been losing interest for some time, complaining that the adult class which he attends just drills the same things repeatedly and focuses too much on grappling, which he does not enjoy (neither did the other boys). The sparring is also much more intense than at the junior levels, and many injuries have occurred. However, if he leaves, we're not sure what he could do instead for fitness. There are no sports programs around for homeschoolers, and he is not inclined to try the Y or such places where he would know no one. And I'm sensing that the 10-yr-old is no longer very keen either--I doubt he will want to continue for more than another year or so. What do other hs'ed kids/ teens do for fitness? Are our children involved in homeschool sports programs, or have you gotten involved with the local Y or community centre? I'm really not sure what to do about this; we have been at this karate school for 6 years , but in that time it has become increasingly a "business" geared towards the youngest children (the owner even opened up an indoor playground and plans "special events" there which are advertised at the karate school). The choice of karate was good at the time --my older three had been involved in the local soccer program for a few years, but had at times been taunted for being hs'ed, and karate allowed them to focus on individual skills, as well as engage in a fitness activity year-round. But the shine has worn off... I've asked if they would like to seek out another karate school but that doesn't appeal to them. Obviously I would like my sons to continue with a regular form of exercise/ fitness, but I just don't know how to pursue this. Any ideas? Thanks. Would they be interested in another martial art? What about running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Ice skating and swimming are the big sports in my house. My daughter is on a synchronized skating team and my son skates several times a week just for fun. Its a year round sport and especially nice in the hot summer. They also take swim lessons and in the winter we have a local indoor pool that on the weekends hosts open swim times for families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 my boys do basketball. they do multi age levels, so my 13 and 15 year olds both do under 16 and under 19 basketball. we live in a small rural area, so lots of boys do multi age levels to make up team numbers. it is a great workout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 (edited) My son plays basketball through the city leagues and on the public middle school team. He's also played soccer, baseball, and flag football through city leagues. Here they have teams through the YMCA and city rec centers as well. Question: Are your boys more interested in team sports or individual sports? Mine is definitely a team sport kind of guy. Edited August 26, 2009 by Sue in St Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 My boys love tennis (I taught it to them and some of their friends) bowling, biking, and rollerblading for individual sports. The kids in our co-op get together weekly for a pickup game of soccer, Ultimate frisbee, voleyball, hockey (skates not required), football or whatever. This is especially great for us, since we aren't too competitive. When they were younger, they tried various sports through community ed or (name your sport) associations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnitaMcC Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 My four kids do Kung Fu along with Dh. So far they all enjoy it and Dd competes at tournaments. The boys are on a bowling league. 14 yr old Ds and Dd are in Civil Air Patrol and some of their PE credit comes from that (they do physical fitness tests once a month and do drills each week). The kids enjoy bike riding, skating, skateboarding, playing basketball with friends in our drive way, swimming in summer. My twins sometimes walk with me to take/pick up youngest two at school (it is a mile each way to the school). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary in KS Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 We haven't had any luck with homeschool sports teams, so we don't do them anymore. But 2 of my boys swim on a year-round swim team. Oldest ds has done it for 4 years, now, and it's fantastic exercise! Middle ds is only 8.5, and has been swimming on team for 2 years. We do other things for fun: tennis classes, weight-lifting class, gymnastics for the little boys, etc. But swimming is constant: 90+ min. a day, 5 days a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Calvin has a half-hour swimming class in addition to three hours of Taekwondo a week. Any day when he doesn't have a class he does modified Canadian Airforce exercises and runs for half an hour. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 My kids got PE from a variety of sports- karate, soccer, swim team, dive team, biking, running, tennis, hiking, snorkeling, rock climbing, all kinds of things. The ones I have had in high school never had any problems getting their PE hours in. I don't think I will with my youngest when she does it either though that depends on what condition her bones are in at that time (she has osteoporosis from as yet unknown reasons). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyL in Canada Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 ...and while I appreciate the suggestions, some are just not feasible (eg, skiing regularly; snorkeling; etc). The problem seems to be that nothing interests my guys enough to make them want to do it on a regular basis. After years of karate, another martial art does not appeal;cycling is not feasible here during the winter; swimming is all right, but again, after years of lessons, not something they want to take up again. Of course, their dream has been to play ice hockey, but I had decided many years ago not to get into that all-consuming (and expensive) lifestyle, so all they do is play ball hockey with friends now and then. I guess I'm stuck : ( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithr Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 My boys are not sportsy or particularly athletically inclined. However, we just got a basketball hoop in our driveway and they have been shooting hoops with their dad. They also play frisbee at times. They bike, walk, jog, rollerblade, lift weights and in the fall and spring I make them take tennis lessons with our homeschool group. Really I think that if they just bike or jog regularly and lift weights, they are doing splendidly! But I probably have low expectations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 ...and while I appreciate the suggestions, some are just not feasible (eg, skiing regularly; snorkeling; etc). The problem seems to be that nothing interests my guys enough to make them want to do it on a regular basis. After years of karate, another martial art does not appeal;cycling is not feasible here during the winter; swimming is all right, but again, after years of lessons, not something they want to take up again. Of course, their dream has been to play ice hockey, but I had decided many years ago not to get into that all-consuming (and expensive) lifestyle, so all they do is play ball hockey with friends now and then. I guess I'm stuck : ( It's a compulsory part of our school that they do about five hours a week of PE - we often walk at weekends, so that adds up to about an hour a day in total. If Calvin gave up Taekwondo, he'd have to accept another form of exercise. Only this week, I was negotiating with him about what to do when he passes level 8 swimming (the top of the basic lessons). He can join the swimming club, or he needs to find another way of exercising; he doesn't enjoy swimming, but he likes running (our fall-back exercise) even less. Best wishes Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 My guys do Aikido along with dh. They also take classes at the local Y. My oldest will do a pre-lifeguard class this year. We run together 3 mornings per week. That's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Forgot to mention that the new 'in' thing is longboarding. Their friends are doing it, so they do it with them. Also airsoft guns nad paintball. lol I think the key for a lot of my boys activity is the fact that it's a social time. Every Friday afternoon for a couple hours they get together and do something sport related! Do you have other hs kids around where you could plan a sport activity once a week? A couple of the moms are the goalies for the hockey, and we're there by 1, so they get a couple hours exercise before the schools get out. Sometimes a mom or two is the motivator. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I was thinking what would I have my boys do if they were teenagers and no longer swam. One son likes to run, so that would probably be what he would do. If you think your boys might do that, running can be fun. Pick some races as their goals, that way they have something to shoot for. But if my boys didn't run or swim, I would require some sort of activity. Boys need to stay phyically active. Maybe try a home video type thing, like PX90 (? I think that's what it's called). Or just a bag to punch for so many minutes a day and a bar to do some pull-ups on. I would want something at home that they could do so they had no excuse. You can ask your boys what they prefer, but I would make it clear that they have to do something, it is your requirement for school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janis in DE Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 My daughter went from Tae Kwon Do to tennis about 1 1/2 years ago when she was 11. She loves tennis. If there is an indoor tennis club near you, you can do tennis year around. She did tournaments this summer and played on a team tennis team. It is a great sport for homeschoolers. Janis in DE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.