We know Owen would like many different activities; the challenge is just getting him to try them.
To say my son, Owen, is hesitant to try new things would be an understatement. Even when he really likes a certain activity, it takes a certain amount of time for him to be comfortable with the idea of trying it. For someone who wants my children to try their hand at anything and everything, it can be difficult to handle this aspect of my 8-year- old’s personality.
Since our children were little, we’ve always encouraged them to try different sports and activities, even if they knew nothing about them. My daughter, 10, has always wanted to try new things. Her issue is that she enjoys everything she tries, and wants to do it all.
We know Owen would like many different activities; the challenge is just getting him to try them.
Every few months as the sports seasons change, parents of Owen’s friends ask if he is excited about the upcoming season.
Excited? That’s a strong word.
Most of the time, I ask Owen if he wants to play soccer, or basketball, or baseball. He inevitably whines and says no. To an outsider, they might think, he must truly not want to play. But I know my son. He might whine about not wanting to go on occasion, but he always has a great time when he’s there.
In the late spring, I asked Owen if he wanted to sign up for travel soccer this fall. He’s athletic and didn’t hate soccer when he played, and several of his friends were playing. But I wasn’t sure if he was ready for the higher level of commitment this required. He hesitated, and then decided to try it. Still, when parents had the opportunity to order team gear, I kept it to a minimum. I wanted to make sure he stuck it out – and enjoyed it – before buying a team backpack and warm-up suit.
When I recently learned about a drop-in drawing workshop for kids being offered in town, I knew Owen would love it. He draws just about every day, and in every spare minute at school. The class takes place on Mondays, and it was Monday that day.
I was thinking, he loves drawing – he should try it out tonight! He will love this.
But when I told him about the workshop on the way home from school, and asked if wanted to try it, he just said, “Okay.” I told him his dad could probably bring him that night and he panicked a bit, asking anxiously, “Wait – tonight? I don’t want to go tonight!”
He asked if he could go next week. Sure, he could go next week, but why wait? He just needs to process things like this, and deciding on doing something, and doing it in less than two hours, is a lot for him to take on.
He eventually decided to give it a try and to go that night. Not surprisingly, he arrived home after the workshop, excited to show me what he worked on. Then he asked if he could attend a special longer workshop coming up at the drawing studio.
I wasn’t surprised in the least.
Kate Roy can be reached at kate_roy@live.com.