Tae Kwnon Do

In an effort to get Robby away from computer games and YouTube, last month I signed him up for six weeks of Tae Kwon Do lessons. Scott and I were not sure if he would love or hate the activity, but we were agreed that he needed to try. We worried that, since his friend moved away, he was becoming too much of a homebody and we knew that he needed a gentle nudge to expand his extracurricular horizons.

It turns out that he absolutely adores taking Tae Kwon Do lessons. While I would love to assume the credit, I know it is really just by luck; we could not have chosen a better Dojo. The instructors are kind, funny, caring while still managing to instill gentle discipline and demanding respect. As teachers, Scott and I both realize the difficulty in striking that balance, and we have the utmost respect for their abilities.  Robby smiles from ear-to-ear from the moment class starts until he comes off the mat as a sweaty mess. Even when he is performing is corrective push-ups he is smiling.

In addition to learning a new skill and honing his physical fitness, we have noticed a marked improvement in our tween's behavior. He has been able to check his snarky attitude (most of the time) and has been more helpful around the house. As added incentive to continue his admirable behavior, I discovered that I only need to mention speaking with "Grand Master" when he acts up. Just the threat of my revealing his ill behavior to his instructor is enough to force him to immediately toe the line.  I have to admit that I was hesitant about the success of Robby's foray into Tae Kwon Do, but it ended up being one of the best Decisions we have ever purchased.