Halloween night isn’t designed as a workout, my five-year-old daughter turned it into feats of mental strength and physical endurance!
We went trick-or-treating with a crew of “big kids,” with her being the smallest and youngest. I wasn’t sure if she could hang, so I towed a wagon just in case.
Motivated by free sweets and a determination to prove herself, she embodied a fierce princess (outfit, game face, and all), as she hustled up driveways, sprinted between houses, and giggled through visible fatigue. For hours, she kept pace with kids twice her size.
At the end of the night, when we were almost done, she finally asked:
“Can I have a ride now, Dad?”
Naturally, I responded with: “Do you want a ride, or do you want to finish strong?”
She smirked: “Finish STRONG. That’s what you want me to say, right?”
She was right, and she did! No drama. No whining. No second-guessing. Just a princess, on tired legs, choosing to push through the last stretch. When we got back, she was high on naturally (and artificially) produced dopamine, and so was I!
That moment was everything we instill at our Ninja gym:
1. Effort over excuses.
You don’t have to be the biggest or the strongest; you just have to show up and “send it.”
2. Confidence is earned, not given!
Sure, she wanted to make me proud, but she ultimately finished strong for herself. That kind of pride hits different and earning a reward while learning what she’s capable of is a huge win-win.
3. Little choices develop big character.
Choosing to finish strong at five years old becomes choosing resilience at fifteen.
4. Movement teaches life lessons way better than words.
Push your body, train your mind, build your character. We strongly believe in that formula!
Why This Matters
The world gives kids endless chances to get in the wagon and take it easy. Shortcuts, quick fixes, and easy-outs are often facilitated by well-intentioned adults, but kids crave (and need) opportunities to test themselves, to feel capable, to push through discomfort and come out the other side proud.
Halloween gave us one. Ninja classes give them hundreds! Kids don’t need everything to be easier; they need the right things to be hard enough: hard enough to grow, hard enough to make an impression, and hard enough to make them say with a tired little grin: “I finished STRONG!”
