Yea for Karate...or Not....

A new school year starts Monday. Ben will be in second grade and Emily in fourth. Noah starts preschool but not until after labor day. Last year we took a year off from after school activities. The kids have tried lots of things, gymnastics, karate, piano, ballet, tap, drama, tennis, swim lessons. You name it, we've tried it. They are usually gung ho for about 6 months and then it's a heavy sigh when I say we have _____ today. That's when I know it's time to quit.

Last year, we took a break. Emily still had her piano lessons, and that was it. I kind of enjoyed being lazy not doing so much.  But this has been the year of the handstand/backbend/cartwheel for Emily.  I asked her a few months ago if she wanted to take a gymnastics class.  She said no.  Last week, she changed her mind.  I asked Ben if he wanted to take a class of some sort, and he said he wants to learn to be a ninja.  Noah said he wanted to be a ninja too.  Noah's never taken any sort of class and karate may be just what he needs to whip his attitude into place before preschool starts.

I made the phone calls and got traia classes set up for this week.  Emily went to a girls level 1 gymnastics class on Monday.  She loved it, and they said she was ready for girls level 2.  All those handstands this summer paid off.

Today, I took Ben and Noah to taekwondo.  Ben's class was first and then Noah's.  Ben did great.  He loved it and it was good to see him work up a sweat.  Noah sat and watched Ben asking when it would finally be his turn.  Ben's class finished and Noah was up.  He walked out on the mat.  The instructor asked them to run 2 laps.  Noah ran one.  Stopped at the corner and started to cry.  No real tears, but he wasn't happy.  He came over to us and that was that.  He was done.

Insert a lesson from one of my worst parenting moments.  Emily was in preschool and her class was singing a song on stage.  Emily barely moved her lips and didn't move.  Afterwards, I yelled at her.  I told her she won't shut up at home and she gets up there and doesn't do a darn thing.  I've regretted that moment ever since.  I should've just loved her cute shy self and gave her a big hug for trying her best. I've asked her to forgive me for being such a bitch witch that day, and she forgave me easily.   But, I've never forgiven myself, and I often tell her how that was one of the worst things I've ever done as a parent.

Lesson learned for the third child.  I didn't get mad at Noah or frustrated.  We waited a few minutes and I asked if he wanted to try again.  He didn't and we left.  Ben loved the class though, and we'll be back next week.  Maybe Noah will want to give it another chance then.  But if not, I'm okay with that...