When they want to quit. What to say.
What to say when your kid says they want to quit. The script that keeps the door open without forcing a decision too fast.
What they're feeling
- · Done. Or at least done with today.
- · Like nobody would care if they quit.
- · Maybe embarrassed or burned out.
- · Testing whether you'll fight them on it or hear them out.
What to say (pick one)
- "Tell me more. What's making you feel that way?"
- "You don't have to decide anything right now."
- "I hear you. Let's talk about it."
Then stop talking.
What not to say
- "You can't quit. We already paid."
- "You always do this when it gets hard."
- "Your coach is counting on you."
The rule
Don't make them commit to anything in the first conversation. Find out what's underneath it.
If they bring it up
- · Ask if it's the sport, the team, the coach, or something else.
- · Give it 24 hours before any decision.
- · If the season is almost over, say so. Let them finish with no promise about next year.
- · If it's been three weeks of this, it's not a bad day. It's information.
Pin this
When they want to quit
- · Listen before you problem-solve.
- · No big decisions in the car on the way home.
- · Find out if it's the sport or the situation.
parentcoachdesk.com/scripts
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