HI Everyone, As most of you know, our Edward started taekwondo this spring and he is loving it! He had starrted a peewee program when we lived in Ohio, but this is the first "big kid" program he has begun and he is loving it! He has wanted to join for some time, but he has had school issues, so I made the TKD an incentive for better school attention. I argued (successfully, I am happy to report! ) that if he cannot handle his schoolwork on a reliable basis, the it would be foolish to add an extra activity to his already overtaxing day. When he showed that he could handle his school responsibilities, then we could try TKD. So, he pulled up his socks at school...and now he is 2 months into his new passion! He seems to have some natural ability, too...although it may be from watching older siblings for so many years (we have 2 black belts and one brown belt in TKD and the brown belt is now a green belt in karate, too). I don't know where old peaceloving/pacifist Nifty got all these martial artist kids, but that's today's mystery, I guess! :laughing: So only a few weeks into his training, Edward went to a tournament "for education", not expected to do well or anything. But he took a first place in sparring! So, he was permitted to double test at his first testing (2 weeks ago) and made orange belt (skipping yellow). He also broke his first board that day and won a best kicking badge. Now thoroughly pumped and eager to advance, he participated in another tournament last weekend where we expected to find out if that first place in MArch was a fluke or a sign of true ability. GUess what, not only did he take first place again in the orange belt level against even odler opponents, but he won every match 3-0 (that is, making 3 points and blocking all opponentns attempts at points) and won each match in under 20 seconds! After the trophy ceremony, a grand master from Iowa (who had been observing and judging) came over to shake Edward's hand. He urged him to keep at TKD as he saw "real potential" in him. Later that day, Edward's own Master invited him to join a special group on Thursday nights which is taught only by their own Grand master and is a speecial class for sparring technique. Needless to say, Edward is thrilled! Interestingly, not only is he loving TKD, but he is keeping up his schoolwork very well, is getting good reports from the teacher AND is keeping his room neat! Does it get any better than this? I don't think so! View attachment 152
Congrats Edward, that is fantastic and congrats to you Renee for bringing up well rounded children :a_smil09: I know that you are very proud
WOW!!! That's great! Congrats to Edward...sounds like he's really found something that he truly enjoys.
That's awesome! FWIW, TKD has also been my savior! For me! I am this-close to my black belt (twice now) before I got pregnant, and WILL get the girls into it. It's so good in all aspects! My nephew also had issues with actually, with ADD and with his ego in general, and I advised my sister to try TKD -- and he has been a STAR! I can't wait to get back to it, and maybe someday spar with Edward!
Fantastic!! What a blessing that he's found something he's so talented at and enjoys so much. Congratulations, Edward!! :clapping:
That sounds like such a great activity for him. Glad to hear he is doing so well at it. Don't let him get to discouraged the first time he doesn't come in first though.
That's a good reminder, Jenn...but not to worry, he did not come first in form or breaking and his reaction was to spend this week working with great determination to improve on those! THe beauty of this sport is that he (and the others) are so motivated to do it themselves. He doesn't expect to be first all the time, and he has the example of his older siblings to follow. I am proud to say that although Jack already has his black belt, he was very humble when he returned to TKD after a 2 year hiatus (we had moved twice); he asked to start back at white belt level even though the school here was more than willing to have him start right up as a black belt...and he is doing so. JAck competed in the tournament and helped other people by holding boards for breaking etc, even though he had no chance of winning anything as a black belt only performing yellow belt form and techniques. But he went to support his school and his brother and out of respect for the Grandmaster. A lot of teens would say NO way am I wasting my Saturday doing that! Edward has some good role models in his older sibings (Kiki did the same with karate and has now worked her way up to green belt, second time round...she had already achieved brown belt 3 years ago, in TKD).
