I’m often asked how my parents got me interested in sport. After all, even if a child’s mother and father set an example by practising sport, this is often not enough. How were you PERSUADED?

To be honest, sometimes I really wanted to take a day off. I would call Mom from school and say I couldn’t train that day because I had classroom duty. Mom would always answer: “OK, clean the classroom and then come home, have a bite to eat and go train.” There never was any pampering. My parents knew when to be strict, and I obeyed them because their opinions were important to me.

I think if a child finds it difficult simply obey and trust his parents, than parents have to be creative and find ways to inspire their child. However, this is not something anybody can help you with, because nobody knows your child better than you – his likes and dislikes, what he responds to and what leaves him totally cold. May be you should change his routine - put him to bed earlier so it’s not that hard to get up in the mornings. Perhaps you should go for a run as a family, and then your child will be less likely to stay at home alone. There are many options - you just have to choose what suits your child best.