Who You Calling Yellow?

You already know how I feel about taekwondo so I won't go into it again.

Okay, maybe I will, but just for a minute.

Taekwondo is the best. This school year has been tough for Alex because reading has not come to him super easily. He started Kindergarten so prepared to read but a year later, we are still working to make it all gel. He tells me he is the worst reader in his class. His teacher assures me he is not even close to the worst. He is struggling, but according to her, right in the middle of the pack and she assures me most of the boys are struggling a little bit. But he won't read in class anymore. He is embarrassed.

But in taekwondo, he is ALWAYS the first one to raise his hand. Always! Even if all the black belts and professional martial artists are visiting. He loves to jump up and demonstrate. He is not a natural, like some of the kids in class, but in taekwondo, that doesn't matter. He feels confident. He feels safe.

Also, I have told you that my kids are not athletes. At recess the kids tell Alex to sit out of kickball because he is "no good". I have seen this in most sports. We only want you on our team if you are good, and if not we will verbally call you out. I have even seen other parents call out the weaker kids on a team. Not in taekwondo. They are a team and they are told that no one sits on the bench, and no one gets left behind. If one person is struggling with a new move, they all work on it, and cheer for them until they get it.

This has been the best thing we have ever done for Alex. I have talked to lots of the other moms who feel the exact same way. This is a place where the kids feel 100% accepted, confident, strong and good enough and I feel very blessed to have found it.

So it was time again for belt promotions. I told the teacher I was going to skip promotions this time and test in two months. He told me that he will tell me if a promotion comes up that Alex is not ready for, and encouraged me to let him test. We started working to get Alex ready. Now that school is in session, even his teacher had to fill out an intent to promote letter to allow him to promote. His taekwondo teacher also offers to go to their school classes and talk about respect and self-control in the classroom, which Alex's teacher signed up for. Alex will love that. We also had to fill out a letter cataloguing his progress. In June, his kicks were about a foot off the ground. By last promotions in September, he was kicking at waist level. Now he is kicking over his head. He has made way more progress in 6 months than I could have expected, physically and in his life.

So Friday, it was time to test, and Alex is now the proud owner of a yellow belt. He was so quick to go up and grab it that all I got was this blur. When he got back to his seat he stopped and did a dance. Everyone giggled, but even the instructors got excited and said they like to see the kids celebrating their new belt.

After the new ranks are awarded, they pass out invitations to Leadership training. At each promotion, a handful of students are asked to join this group. Seth leaned over and whispered, thank goodness we don't have to worry about this...because of course there is a hefty fee involved. It includes unlimited classes, leadership training, and even a few private lessons. Most of the kids in this group are there about 6 hours a week. So I put my camera away and clapped for the kids who were invited. Then Mr. Pettis starts with what can I say about this next guy...he has the loudest yells (by now all the parents are looking at me, because that is totally Alex) and the most enthusiasm in the whole class. So I was trying to fumble for my camera as everyone cheered and my little guy went up to receive his invite. I have never seen him look happier. The teacher didn't stop to talk about the other invitees, so Al felt so special. The next morning, when I woke up he was sitting on the couch holding his invitation.

Will we put him in the class? We are torn, but probably not just yet. We agree that it would be so good for him, but there is the fee. It is just a one time fee, but it is high, and then we would still have his regular tuition payments. Plus, three hours a week can be a challenge sometimes, so I am not sure we are ready for 6. He would love to do it, but I am hoping that just being invited will be enough for him right now.

Here's Alex with his teacher Mr. Pettis. Mr. Pettis' brother, Anthony Pettis is a UFC fighter and he was there as well (you can see him in the first picture I posted, dressed in black, clapping for my kid). We recently watched him fight on TV and all the kids were lining up for his autograph and picture. Alex was excited about his brush with fame but we opted for a picture with his teacher, since he is the one who has been so supportive of Alex over the last 6 months.

Alright, so that wasn't at all brief. Dang it. I tried. Really.

I am just so proud of my boy, and so happy that he has found his niche.