I've not asked them yet. If they say no when I do, I will not push the issue. The girl is 15, and she really wants to do this. She's not as much worried about her parents being opposed to the boxing part of it (though that is a concern) as she is about how they will react to her having to wear shorts or sweat pants. She's asked me to speak to them for her. I've agreed, but warned her that I will not argue with her parents' decision. I've got only one shot at this. I'd like to go into the conversation with some idea of what to say to convince them. Any ideas would be appreciated, as I'd love to see this girl do something she obviously enjoys very much. Thanks.Need some advice. How would you approach the strict Christian parents of a teenage girl about allowing her?
There should be a way to compromise. She is not the only young lady who has experienced this problem, and many others have come up with solutions.
There is an entire fashion industry devoted to supplying modest athletic wear for orthodox women. A pair of loose culottes would be modest but still allow her the range of movement she needs to box. Check out the link below for examples.Need some advice. How would you approach the strict Christian parents of a teenage girl about allowing her?
Still it's a butt out matter. A girl, at 15, is still under the close care of her family. They are entirely responsible for her unbringing and her well-being.
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Tell the parents that the girl really wants to do boxing. That's it basically, and that as parents, you feel they should support their daughter's commitment to the sport. If they are opposed to the clothes she is going to wear, you really can't do anything against that, since most strict Christian parents are immovable.
I would ask if they have the money for dr. lawyers and ear specialists. plastic surgey and male sex change the last one is a joke...
parents have o look at it all when the girl is 18 and could pay for all the afore mentioned then she could destroy her temple. as long as it is my dime no way... if her concern is shorts I think she is not thinking clearly...
If she's 15, she'd be better served to do it herself. If you can't stand up to your parents at 15, when can you?
If you have to, bring up the self-defense aspect, and camaraderie.
I'm sure that a compromise can be reached and I hope that the parents wouldn't be so narrow minded, they can protect and care about their daughter without hindering her in an unnecessary way.
show them pictures of wrestling singlets. maybe they might think shorts aren't that bad.
here are some good ones
http://www.singlets.com/
Just frame it as an opportunity to box for god.
whats wrong with sports... go up to her parents and ask them if thier daugter can join the Mike Tyson boxing club.
Boxing causes brain damage.
Don't. Getting punched in the nose is a bad idea. Been there, done that, it's overrated.
She needs to be a warrior for Jesus if she wants to fight. There are plenty of devils to fight. Everything that young girls want to do is not necessarily good for them. Who pays the doctor bills if she gets hurt and has to go to the hospital? Who takes care of her if she gets hurt. These are things to consider. You're asking her parents to take on the medical bills, etc. She doesn't need to make a spectacle of herself in a boxing ring. As to approaching her parents, ask them to pray about their daughter participating in a youth boxing league. Be respectful. Approach them and say, ';could you please pray about allowing (girl's name) to participate in a youth boxing league.'; Then tell them details about the league. Where it is, who is participating, what the girls will wear, etc.
I took my sons to a Christian Karate club when they were young. It was mostly Christian. It was a good wittness format also.
Perhaps ask them to pray about it, and not give an answer right away. That would put them on the spot and would likley say no. But with prayer, they will get a chance to hear from the daughter in a private way. I wish you Gods Grace as sports does so much for esteem and health.
Most important thing you can do is support her in what may be her anguish over being compelled to comply with her parent's wishes she not box.
Let's face it, it's not just christian parents, or strict christian parents who might object to their daughter participating in a boxing league.
You sound like you'll be just fine- don't subborn a root of bitterness in this girl please.
I'd stress the positives that this experience would give her. She'd definitely keep fit, which is a huge plus--and it will channel a lot of that negative teen energy.
I don't know much about boxing, but I DO know about martial arts. Martial arts really give kids a discipline that is wonderful, imposed both externally and internally. They learn to accept someone else's authority, to give respect, etc. My son had been in karate for about 2 months when I asked him to take out the trash. He answered, ';Yes, ma'am,'; and then we both stopped, reeled a little, looked at each other and said together, ';WHOA.'; Because he called me Ma'am. THAT was a first, and it came directly from karate.
I ended up taking karate, too, and can't say enough about it. Ironically enough--especially since I'm answering this post!--I no longer take martial arts....for religious reasons. Because of my particular brand of a particular religion, I don't wear pants, and I don't touch men. Both of these are issues in a sport like boxing or martial arts. Still, I'm trying to figure out a way to work around these prohibitions, because I found the whole experience to be so good for both me %26amp; my kids.
So--I think you're right to accept their decision, no matter what. But you should stress the positives--the physical fitness, the channeling of energy in a POSITIVE way, and above all, the incredible discipline.
Well, I have no idea, but My son is into boxing, he has already preached his first sermon in church, and he has taught his 15 year old sister some boxing lessons, I put up a punching bag for them to hit, and taught them some stuff, the best I could tell you is suggest that it's good to know self defense, and make sure that you and your friend mention that they won't use it to bully anybody, and will only use it in emergency self defense.
I can't see what's wrong with wearing shorts or sweat pants. Unless they belong to a weird branch of Christianity where it's skirts only for women and even swimsuits are out of the question (I can't imagine why sweat pants should be objectionable).
I would first find out what particular denomination the parents subscribe too, they don't sound like a mainstream christian ones. That will give you a better idea what arguments they might find acceptable.
PS. OK, if they have no problems with shorts or baggy pants and the daughter thinks they mainly will have problems with clothing not the sport as such, I would not anticipate too much problems. Also the daughter must have been exposed to the sport in order to be enthusiastic about it, so they can't have been too strict about it. Maybe it will have to do more with the time commitment required and her grades in school. With all the childhood/youth obesity press, that may be an angle to pursue, also self defense for girls might be of value.
I would not do this. It is one thing for parents to keep too close a hand on an 19- or 21-year-old, but a girl, at 15, is still under the close care of her family. They are entirely responsible for her unbringing and her well-being.
Some branches of evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity, such as many Independent Baptists, do insist on modest but attractive and feminine dresses for girls. Sweat pants, while not immodest in the same sense, are often viewed as non-feminine. I would think they would view boxing in the same non-feminine light.
A 15-year-old does not always make the best decisions for herself. Wise parents do not expect to place the same restrictions on a 15-year-old as they would on a 12-year-old, but still we have to assume, and encourage the teen to respect, that her parents know better than she does what's best for her.
You say ';you'; would love to see this girl do something she obviously enjoys very much. But ';you'; are not her parents. My daughter would enjoy very much to not take piano lessons and spend her afternoons watching TV.
Which is better for her in the long run 鈥?her teenage view or her parents' older and wiser view? We require piano just as much as we require math.
If they are abusing her, you have the duty to call social services. If not, you have the duty to stay out of what is strictly a family matter.
If you truly want her to stand up and ';be her own woman'; then you would encourage her to approach her parents herself. If you are just asserting peer pressure on her, you are her problem, not her solution.
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