Saturday, December 02, 2006

White Belts No More!

Yes, it's our last day as white belts. The kids and I have been taking Karate together since September, and today is our test to move up to the next belt. We decided to take a photo commemorating this momentous occasion.

It's funny, but I took Karate myself over a decade ago, several years before having kids. I enjoyed it then, I liked the workout and the discipline, the mental energy of it. But now I really love it. I smile when I watch my kids out of the corner of my eye, I love to hear their comments and see them attempting new things. My heart bursts with pride when another parent in the class says to me that her daughter really likes being partnered with my son because he is so patient and kind to her. Karate is a much fuller, more enjoyable, more there experience for me now than it was 12 years ago. Back then, it was more or less just exercise.

Like so many of the things I get to share with the kids, their own perspective added to mine combines to make the experience something completely different. Seeing all the different families, all the kids, the parents at the dojo, it's awesome being a part of something that helps bring families together and bond them more closely. I like seeing the homeschooling parents (like our very own sensei who is herself a homeschooling mom of seven), and the teenagers or older kids (especially the black belts!) who are so full of poise and self-confidence and are wonderful teachers as well.

Karate has become such a joy in our unschooling family, I'm just happy to share some of those smiles here!

2 comments:

Karen said...

Robin I love reading about your adventures with your kids. Congrats on moving on from the white belts.
Karen

SingletrackJenny (formerly known as IronJenny) said...

Hey! Thanks for finding my blog and commenting about the IMFL pelotons.
No, I did not write a letter. And I only spoke my mind twice ont he course: once when I hit that tailwind and started flying, some guy hopped on my wheel to go with me. After a few seconds I said - get off- that's cheating. (and he did)
Then about an hour later I caught a girl who had passed me much earlier (still riding somebody's wheel, but with my disk wheel I was like a kite in the tailwind). Anyway, and as I passed her I asked her if she was still going to call herself an Ironman tonight even though she ahd to cheat all day.
Those were the only two times I spoke up - I mostly talked to God that day.
What did you hear out there? Did you speak up at all?