The Kids of Integrity Challenge is finished!

Practice, practice, practice

Ever since Jessica was a baby, I’ve taken kickboxing classes. I’ve long wanted the kids to see my instructor and friends in action, so I jumped at the opportunity to work through “Persevering in Practice.” One evening, the three of us visited a class in session and observed the students. I was able to point out the differences between individuals who were just learning the basics versus those who had been training several times a week for years. We talked about accuracy, speed and power. I explained that our muscles have a memory of sorts, and we can teach them to recall certain movements. The more we practice, the better we get.

One of my kickboxing buddies has a vertical jump that practically propels him through the ceiling. I asked him to demonstrate some jumping kicks for Ben and Jess and explained that though he is naturally athletic, it still took a lot of perseverance to become THAT good. The kids were completely enraptured. It was long past bedtime, and they kept begging to stay and watch a little longer. They were captivated by the skill displayed, and I think it fanned a spark of determination in their own hearts.

That determination is very much needed as both of them learn to ride without training wheels this summer. Ben has always been reluctant and rather disinterested in cycling, strongly preferring his scooter over his bicycle. At seven and a half, he is long overdue in gaining competency, but we would have had hysterics on our hands if we had pushed any harder. Instead we allowed Jessica’s natural athletic ability to quietly convince Ben’s ego that he didn’t want his little sister on two wheels while he was still on four!

It turned out to be a blessing that he had outgrown his old bike. The second-hand replacement we found was one he was proud to own. And it came with only two wheels. Rob has been diligently jogging up and down the street beside each kid. Ben now rides independently on the straightaway and Jess is close behind. I was so proud when they came in from their last session and Ben confided, “I was starting to get frustrated and I wanted to quit, but then I remembered a verse: ‘I will be strong and courageous, I will not be terrified or discouraged, for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go.’ ” Praise God!

Overall, this lesson has given us a fantastic amount of material to talk about. Every day, we find it so easy to reference perseverance in one way or another. That thrills us because it’s also one of the most important life skills our children can learn. 

Tags:

• Perseverance