we used to do the push up position with our heads instead of using hands to hold ourselves up in push up position.  i was the best/worst student there.  haha.

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i'm delicious

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Traditional TKD

One thing about kids.


They WILL test boundaries and try patience.


First thing... do NOT allow them to frustrate you 'at all'.  It's kind of the fun part of being an adult, in that we have to retain our self control, when the truth is, we'd like to chew the heck out of the kids when they get too big for their britches.


On an issue like this, I absolutely encourage you to speak privately with your instructor about this.  Explain that you would like to help set the proper example, and be a part of HIS/HER solution, rather than 'going it alone without counsel' and accidentally upsetting the plans of the instructor.


Every instructor is different.  This is especially true of chief instructors.  There's a dozen ways to skin a cat, when it comes to keeping the classroom discipline IN.  Good instructors use a very positive tact MOST of the time, only using negative tacts with restraint and sparingly. 


The reason I say that, is that often misbehaving kids are often subconsciously looking for attention.  Giving them negative attention, though they'll never admit it, fulfills their desire for attention.  Do that enough, and they'll misbehave to get attention MORE often, even if it's painful.


That's why I say to consult with your instructor.  This is a great opportunity for you to learn how to be a good leader from your instructor, and that's the way I'd like you to look at it.  A good chance to learn something besides punching and kicking.


Take care!!

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Getting through life takes just a LITTLE bit of insanity!*g*

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Finally!!!!

I am finding that the parents of the kids are the most disrespectful in our school.  We have parents that don't pay on time and then whine nonstop about the late fees, yet they continue to drop their kids off for classes every day.  Then we have a couple of othe parents that drive me nuts.

One is a father.  He comes into the dojo every night and sits there "coaching" from the chairs and talking OVER coach.  He isn't only doing this with his daughter, but all of the kids in class.  He also thinks that things should be done the way they were done in the Phillipines, where his daughter trained before coming to our school.  At least a couple of times a night he makes a comment along the lines of "If we were in the Phillipines..."  I guess I just feel like if he wants to coach his daughter and he thinks he knows what is best for her, why is he paying for her to be in this particular school?  If he knows so much more, take her home and train her himself!  (the girl really is a sweetheart!)

The other parent that shows no respect in my opinion is a mother of 3.  I understand that it is exhausting to raise children and that you need time for yourself and to take care of yourself, but the kids aren't coming first.  The oldest one is in class for a couple of hours and during that time the mother is working out on the elliptical or the total gym, ignoring the younger kids.  They are 3 and 5 and can't really be expected to sit quietly on their own for 2 hours so their sister can take class and their mom can work out.  It has reached the point that they are disrupting and distracting the kids in class every night and the other parents or whoever is sitting there ends up watching them.  Last week, the 5 year old left to go to the bathroom and her mom didn't even realize she had left the room until someone asked about the little girl 10 minutes later. 

Maybe I am just too critical, but to me, this shows a lack of respect for the Coach and the dojo.  The dojo is not a place for little kids to be running around unsupervised and should be treated properly.  I guess my attitude towards this is, if a parent isn't respectful, how can we expect the kids to be respectful? 

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Finding My Inner Strength

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Wait, this isn't my mouthpiece!