Karate: Going for it

[pegkerr]

I took Fiona to karate tonight, with Delia in tow. They were doing pre-testing (although Fiona is not testing this month), so everyone was going through their form and self-defense demonstrations. When the class was over, and Fiona had bowed and come out of the classroom, she stopped and stared at the wall for a long moment, a faraway look on her face.

"What is it?" I said to her. I shook her shoulder. "It's time to go."

I saw her face change--an intake a breath, a set to her mouth. A suddenly adult look. Wow, I thought. She's growing up so fast. She looked to me and hoisted her sparring bag higher on her shoulder. "I've decided to go for it."

"Go for it?" I said blankly.

She nodded. "I'm going to go for the black belt." She wriggled, suddenly girlish again.
"Can we sign me up right now?"

I sighed. "Not right now. I have to talk with Daddy about where we will get the down payment from. We'll get you signed up within the week, though. Don't worry."

Delia said tonight that she misses karate. She is thinking, now, of coming back when her nine week ballet class is over. We will see.

Comments

[aerden.livejournal.com]

Wow. I know this may put you all in some financial strain, but...Go, Fiona!

I'll be interested to see what Delia decides to do. She really did seem to enjoy the karate camp last summer, from reading your entries.

I hope everything works out well!

Chantal

[dreadmouse.livejournal.com]

I can sympathize with your financial pain. Money may not buy happiness, but it certainly provides freedom of choice.

I hope that you manage to find a way to make it fly for her. There are several teens and pre-teens in my dojo, and I've been around long enough now that I've had a chance to see them mature while they practiced. I had thought that martial arts teachers' claims for karate being good for "developing character" were simply propaganda, but now, after I've watched some of these younger folk develop, I think I agree. Kids who stick with karate do seem to learn valuable life lessons. The young black belts in my dojo are universally interesting and self-confident people. They seem well-behaved, too, at least around me.

I'm no expert, but from what I've seen karate seems especially useful for young women. I don't know that it provides much in the way of self-defense training, but it certainly develops self-confidence. I think the opportunity to compete and learn on an equal footing with adults and younger folks of both sexes, and often excel, is a valuable thing. When my daughter is old enough I would love to see her in a dojo, if she's interested.