Real strategies used by our judo coaches that most sports clubs won’t tell you — but every parent should know.
“Why is my child acting out after the Easter break?”
If you’ve found yourself asking this question lately — you’re not alone.
Maybe they’ve become a little more moody.
Maybe they’re glued to a screen again.
Maybe they’re bouncing off the walls one minute and melting down the next.
You’re doing everything right… but it still feels like something’s off.
Here’s the good news:
It’s not just your child. And it’s not just a phase.
These are confidence drains — and once you spot them, you can start reversing them at home.
⚠️ 5 Confidence Drains You Probably Haven’t Been Told About
1. Lack of Structure After a Holiday
Children crave structure — even when they resist it.
Over the Easter break, days are less predictable. Bedtimes shift. Expectations loosen. And while holidays are essential, they can also cause emotional “slippage.”
Without routine, a child’s sense of internal order fades. That leads to:
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Impulsive behaviour
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Resistance to effort
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Emotional outbursts over small challenges
👉 The fix: Gently reintroduce structure this week — wake-up routines, meal times, and mini responsibilities. It rebuilds a sense of control.
2. Passive Entertainment (a.k.a. Screen Overload)
During breaks, screen time usually goes up. That’s normal. But screens deliver constant dopamine hits — with zero effort.
After days of passive entertainment, real-life tasks feel… boring.
The brain adapts to what you feed it. If it’s used to cartoons, games, and YouTube shorts — things like reading, listening, or even thinking feel “too hard.”
👉 The fix: Replace 30 minutes of screen time with active challenges (see our “Brave Box” below). Let your child move, climb, stretch, or build something. Confidence lives in action.
3. Emotional Regression from Over-Accommodation
At Easter, family members (often lovingly) over-accommodate children:
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“Let me do that for you.”
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“Don’t worry, you don’t need to help.”
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“Just sit and relax.”
It’s kind — but it can lead to a drop in independence and a rise in entitlement.
👉 The fix: Give them small, meaningful tasks this week. Set a “Challenge of the Day” — make the bed, butter toast, get dressed without help — and celebrate effort over outcome.
4. Lack of Movement-Based Confidence Practice
Confidence doesn’t come from praise.
It comes from mastering difficult things through movement.
In our judo classes, we watch shy, uncertain kids transform after just a few weeks — because they’re challenged physically, with purpose and support.
👉 The fix: Let your child push, pull, balance, climb, crawl, or roll. Movement releases the emotional tension that builds when confidence is low.
5. Disconnected Communication Between Parent and Child
After a busy holiday (plus returning to work), many parents feel like they’re constantly “on the go” — and so do their children.
That leads to:
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Shorter tempers
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Fewer “check-in” conversations
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Missed moments of connection
👉 The fix: Ask one simple question at dinner:
“What’s something brave you did today?”
It shifts the focus from achievements to effort — and opens the door for meaningful conversation.
đź’Ş How We Coach These Skills in Every Children’s Class
Most kids’ clubs focus on one thing: movement.
We focus on movement and mindset.
At Fighting Fitness Judo, our Programmes help children aged 5–7 develop:
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Emotional resilience
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Focus and discipline
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Physical confidence
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Social skills and self-control
And they do it in a warm, structured environment where effort is celebrated — not perfection.
We teach:
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How to fall and get back up (literally and emotionally)
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How to take turns, listen, and lead
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How to stay calm under pressure
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And how to believe in themselves even when something feels scary
🏠What You Can Try at Home This Week
Here are a few tools we use in class — and you can use them too:
🔹 The “Challenge of the Day”
Ask your child to complete one mini task each day that requires patience, courage, or focus.
Celebrate effort — not results.
🔹 The “You Did It” Loop
Instead of “Good job,” say:
“You kept trying even when it was hard. That was brave.”
It rewires their inner voice from needing praise to building belief.
🔹 The “Brave Box” Game
Write simple, age-appropriate challenges on small cards:
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“Say hello to someone new”
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“Try something you’ve never done before”
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“Keep going when it gets tricky”
Let your child pick one every morning and share how it went over dinner.
🎯 Your Next Step (If This Resonates)
If you want help building your child’s confidence — not just keeping them busy — we’d love to invite you to try one of our classes in Woking or Guildford.
There’s no pressure, no sales pitch, and no need for experience.
Just one powerful step forward for a child who’s ready to grow.
đź“© Or download our free parent guide:
“5 Ways to Build Confidence in Your 5–7 Year Old (Without Nagging or Bribing)”
Your child doesn’t need to be perfect.
They just need a space where they can grow — and believe that they can.
We’d love to help with that.
—
Vince Skillcorn
Fighting Fitness Judo