Kid-ing with Kayla: For months, Allan was begging me to join karate so for his birthday, I signed him up! You pay ahead of time, they get a uniform and the second you get there the kids are expected to go out on the mat with the instructor. Allan had a different plan.

Suddenly, my outgoing, extroverted child said he was “too shy” to participate. This was a shock for me since I wasn’t even the one who pushed this activity. He said he just wanted to watch and he was scared to join even though the kids were kicking, punching and doing all the things he loves most.

While I didn’t anticipate this response, I did know it was normal. The instructor told us this happens to most kids who sign up for a class. Allan did the same thing when he started swim class, T-ball and pre-school.

What I really appreciated was the owner’s willingness to not charge us for that first day of watching and her encouragement to keep trying. Other parents were quick to offer encouragement and one even told Allan that he daughter wet her pants the first night of karate because she was so nervous. However, now she loves it and looks forward to it each week.

Unfortunately, Allan got sick on Thursday and wasn’t able to attend the second chance at class. He’s doing much better now and we have high hopes for him to step on the mat and participate on Tuesday! We will keep you posted on Facebook. Chime in on the conversation and talk about times your kid started a new activity. Did they get too nervous? How did you handle it? We want to hear from you!

For more Kid-ing with Kayla, click here.