Yellow Belts

For the past several months the boys have been participating in Taekwando.  Their taekwando school was recommended to us by families with young kids because 1. they love it and  2. because it is one of the only ones in the area that allows kids as young as 4 to participate.  While neither Chris nor I have any martial arts in our backgrounds, I was curious about how this kind of activity could improve coordination, strength, agility and help teach the kids to learn their left and right (something I still struggle with!).  After watching the boys participate for the last several months it is clear, the program is wonderful.  The Masters are great with little kids.  They provide the perfect amount of bolstering without coddling.  They build the kids up with each activity and make each skill fun.  They leave class sweaty and tired and very proud of themselves.  It has been wonderful to watch them blossom and enjoy this activity so much.

In addition to great successes, Taekwando has presented some new parenting challenges for us.  Several times over the last four months one boy has achieved success (in the form of receiving tape on their belt indicating that they have mastered a skill) before the other.  It has been interesting coaching the boys through these situations.  Brody is competitive.  He wants to be first at everything and when he is not first to get tape, he is disgruntled.  Brady is more laid back about it.  He finds solace in the words of his coaches that he is "this close" to mastering the skill and takes those words of encouragement with him as he practices at home.  Brody is happy to try and help Brady get something right and Brady always accepts his brothers help.  Brody is less tolerant of being shown what to do by his brother.  Teaching them to be happy for each other when only one succeeds, identifying the issue that needs to be fixed and working through the issue until they achieve success has been our main objective.  I don't know if we succeed every time, but I do know that for the times when Brody has gotten tape before Brady, Brady has come running out to greet me with a huge smile on his face and a proud announcement that his brother has achieved success.  I'd say that is a step in the right direction.  Determining how to motivate and coach Brady vs Brody is the key (no duh) and it is interesting to see this situation show up so early in their little lives.

For their belt test, the boys had to break a board in front of a room full of people. Neither boy had ever had a chance to practice breaking a board; it is something that they do only only during belt testing.  It was great to see Brady and Brody follow the instructions and figure out what needed to be done.  Brady did not break his on his first try and he needed some coaching.  In what is their typical great manner, one of the Masters got right down on Brady level, told him exactly what he needed to do in a stern but helpful voice and Brady listened perfectly.  When the board broke, you could see he was so incredibly proud of himself (and of course I was dying on the inside!!!).  Brody attacked the board with gusto and it broke on the first try. The instructors let out a little giggle when it happened because I think they were surprised by how smoothly Brody's board broke.  All it all it was a great experience and I look forward to watching them blossom as yellow belts!