Karate Kid

Jojo started karate classes two times a week back in mid-August, the same week the boys started school.  We knew G had tons going on outside of school so we thought it would be good for Joel to have an afterschool activity, at least until Spring baseball starts up next March.  We knew that a karate school existed in Arlington nearby where the boys have swimming lessons in the summers.  We visited one Saturday, and the couple who run the place answered our questions and let Joel take the 2nd half of class.  They seemed very nice and well organized, and we were impressed by the kids we saw that day.  We paid for a month with no contract, then decided to sign him up for a six-month contract.  And I am rueing the day for that decision.

Maybe they are all cash-swallowing piranhas.  I had been thinking it would only be one class a week.  They advised that most kids signed up for three-times-per-week classes.  Two would still be ok, but once a week did not allow for the student to remember things and therefore they wouldn't really advance.  The monthly fee seemed high, but since we didn't shop around maybe it was competitive.  When it came time for Joel's first promotion test to the next level belt, there was a fee for that.  Then everyone started talking about the next Tournament.  Which of course means another fee when you sign up your kid.  This school supposedly puts on really good tournaments, according to many of the parents.  Other schools from as far away as Houston come to participate in them.  But the parents are needed to be scorekeepers for the matches.  After we'd been there a month, we were expected to stay late after class and learn how to keep score in a sparring contest.   We weren't asked, they just made it hard for you to leave without looking like a sad, uninvolved parent.

So all other parents now think I am a sad, uninvolved parent.  I did NOT sign on for all the extra stuff they are throwing at us, I would come home and gripe to Jav.  They have had a Karate School swim day, picnic and this week a Halloween party.  Why can't I just take my kid, once a week, for a class?  Is it so wrong to want that?

Finally, after realizing that Jav and I were having none of the scorekeeping training, the wife gave up and asked if we would just like to watch since it was our first tournament.  Joel still had to prepare just like the other kids as if he was participating.  I don't like the idea of them sparring at that age.  And the worse thing that has happened, that made my mommy hair on the back of my neck stand up, was the day they were paired off to spar so the parents could practice keeping score.  Shihan (master) Jorge pretended to be the judge making the hand signals.  Joel and the new student, Luke, went last.  They had no preparation whatsoever and didn't know what to do.  Considering this I thought they both did really well.  But all the older boys, and even some younger ones from their class, started laughing at them.  Shihan never noticed because he was so wrapped up in training the parents.  I was livid.  It took all of my willpower to not stand up and tell off the boys, tell the Master what I thought of him and his wife, grab Joel and head out the door for good.

Jav calmed me down, something he's gotten very used to doing in the past 10 years.  Then the next session the wife pulled me aside to ask why we hadn't signed Joel up for the tournament yet.  I told her again that Jav was just going to bring him to watch this time, and she asked, "But has Joel said he wants to be in it?"  I told her that Joel doesn't really comprehend what's going on, and doesn't know what a tournament is.  Then she laid the guilt trip down even harder, "But all of them will be getting a trophy for participating, and Joel is not going to get one."  Ugh.  First of all, I have such issues with "everyone gets a trophy" mentality.  And secondly, can you believe the pushiness?

But all bitching aside, Joel loves it.  And I think it's been good for his confidence and balance.  One of his classmates from school, just by chance, is in his karate class, and they are two peas in a pod now.  And I must admit to myself, that aren't they just doing what the cub scouts have been trying to do - get the parents involved so the kids keep coming?  Even so, I don't like their tactics of trying to shame parents into helping.  We wil be shopping around for a new place for Jojo to take after baseball seasons's over,