Sunday evening I met my Korean student online. She told me about her job interview, that she needed to change her job so that she could spend more time with her children.
I shared with her what I talked about yesterday about the benefits of sports in child development. More importantly, I told her, there is a limited age window for what parents can do to enhance their sports participation. We need to get them involved in some sports, having some fun and friends before they can say No to you. She said, Oh no, my children already say No to me now.
This reminds me of one parent's question during last Friday's activity. She asked, what can I do to encourage my teenage son to participate in sports? He spends excessive time on gaming and refuses to try any sports I suggest?
Sadly to say, at this rebellious age, that parent is fighting an uphill battle trying to make her son give up gaming addiction and pick up a new sport. At this point, no one could give her any feasible advice. Too late.
A Chinese saying goes: 一年之计在于春, (Yī nián zhī jì zài yú chūn). The literal meaning is "The plan of a year is in spring." This saying emphasizes the importance of starting early, right at the beginning of the year. You can also think of spring as a time of renewal and new beginnings.