A Life Lesson

The kids tested for their tiger belt in Karate today. That would be a striped yellow/orange belt. The kids are really enjoying Karate. They go to Elite Freestyle Karate; the school motto is 'Arm Yourself With Life skills'. Last week we took them to the school's 'Black belt Extravaganza'. This kids got to see the brown belts test to earn their black belts. It was only a fraction of what these kids had to do to be awarded their black belts, but it did teach my kids what it meant to go to Karate and what attaining the goal of Black belt meant. Zac was wide eyed when their instructors did a wood breaking demonstration. Both Jac and Zac are motivated to take the challenge of earning a black belt.

This week's Karate lesson was conflict resolution. The kids learn how to deal with bullies. The students are taught to find a solution using their words. After Karate, we were driving through our town. The kids noticed some peace demonstrators standing at roadside with signs to stop the war and waving peace flags. Jackie asked what those people were doing. We recognized a friend of Mimi and Papa's we affectionately have nicknamed 'Big Bob'.

It was a perfect teaching opportunity. I explained to my kids that those citizens were free to voice their feelings that the war should be stopped. I reminded them that our country was fighting a war in Iraq and our young soldiers were in Iraq putting themselves in danger's way because the leaders of our country ordered them to be in Iraq to 'solve a conflict' I explained that war was the worst fight ever and that people get killed with guns and weapons. I explained that in Iraq there were people who were innocent and peaceful and there were also terrorists causing lots of trouble and hurting people all around the world, the worst bullies imaginable. I said that some people in America feel that our soldiers should be in Iraq to control those bullies. That is what our soldiers are doing, but they get hurt and killed doing so. Other Americans, like 'Big Bob' feel we should try to solve the conflict with actions of peace, use of words, so we don't kill our precious soldiers. I said that our country has to make a difficult decision how to solve this conflict happening between the mean troublemakers and people who follow some rules of peace.

I knew they understood what I was saying because then they pointed out some of the bullies in their class don't follow the rules and get into trouble and can be bad. Wow, these kids are smart, they get it. I would never have had that serendipitous opportunity had it not been for the lesson of the week at karate and then seeing some peace demonstrators. Elite Freestyle Karate, you ARE arming my children with life skills….Thank you! I will end with saying, I love that my kids are going to Karate. Next visit at EFK, I hope to get a picture of the kids at Karate with the leaders that are showing them such valuable life lessons.