What color will your Karate belt be next?

My 9-year-old son started practicing Karate 2 years ago.

He sometimes didn't want to go to the Karate school because it made him tired.

He had hesitated to take the promotion test, so he had been wearing the white belt, it means he is still a beginner.

One day, his Karate teacher strongly advised him to take the test after the practice.

He said,

"You can do it. Recently you seem to be stuck in a rut. Karate is not just a lesson or activity, it is a training method. I think you should try it."

I also tried to persuade my son to take the test.

At first, he didn't follow his teacher's advice because he didn't have any confidence that he would pass the test.

But, the teacher praised my son again in the next practice.

He said,

"Wow! You did a great job today! You seemed to be more motivated than before. I know you can do it!"

He was getting motivated actually, finally he decided to take the test.

The night before the test day, he seemed to be nervous.

He asked me,

"What if I can't do it?"

"Your teacher told you that you can do it. I believe this is so. If you don't do well, you can try it again. Don't be afraid of mistakes."

I encouraged him.


He woke up at 5:30am in the morning on the day of the test.

He was still nervous, but he did very well at the test!

After the test, he said,

"It was easier than I expected. I gained the confidence from today's test. Yes, I can do it. I want to try the next test in June!"

I was surprised and glad to hear that.

Trying to achieve a challenge makes children grow.

I appreciate that my son has met an awesome teacher.

I'm sure that the color of his belt will turn to blue in the next practice!

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Enjoy your trip!

Since my 7-year-old son joined in the practice trip of Karate yesterday, my husband, 6-year-old daughter and I took him to the place to meet up.

The trip was organized by the Karate school which my son joins.

The Karate school has a lot of branch practice venues, and more than 60 children and 25 adult took part in the tour.

I was worried about my son because it was the first time for him to go on the trip without parents and only my son would attend the trip from his branch.

I asked him before I pay the travel fee:

"Are you OK? There will be no friend there."

"It's OK! I want to go!"

He told me that he was looking forward to the test of courage which would be held at the temple on the night of the first day of the trip.

I was surprised to hear that.

In my case when I was a child, if no friend participated the tour, I would not join in it.

We reached the meeting spot and I said hello to the man who was in charge of there.

"My son is going to join in alone. I am worried about it. Please look after him."

I asked the man.

He said:

"OK. Adults will participate a lot, so please don't worry."

There were about 10 children there and some of them already seemed to know each other.

My son looked nervous.

Two college students who sometimes join in the practice at my son's branch found my son and came to him:

"Hi! Are you looking forward to the test of courage?"

"Yes."

He answered with a small voice and looked shy.

Other children started riding on the tour bus.

I told him:

"Have fun! Don't forget take the medicine before you ride on the bus tomorrow, OK?"

 He nodded and rode on the bus.

When the bus has left there, we waved our hands.

He smiled and waved his hands, too.

After the bus has gone, my daughter, who was looking at it, suddenley started crying saying:

"My brother has gone! I am lonely!"

I couldn't stop laughing to hear that.

She turned down the corners of her mouth and cried more.

"Hey! Why don't you go to buy the donuts? I found the store over there."

I told her.

She stopped crying and said:

"Really? Let's go!"

It is not difficult for me to change her mind.

I hope my son will enjoy the tour and make new friends there.

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Karate practise

My husband took a day off to take a medical checkup yesterday.

I told my 5-year-old daughter about it, she told me:

"So I want to go to my brother's Karate practise with Dad today!"

"You should ask him whether he will go."

I told her.

After a while, she said:

"He said he will go with us!"

"Really?"

I thought he didn't want to go, so I asked him:

"Are you going to go with us?"

"Yeah, OK."

He answered.

My son said to his dad:

"Oh no! I don't want you to come."

But he looked glad.


We always take my son to the karate practise and go shopping, then come back to the practise hall about 15 minutes before the practise ends, so that we can see Kumite practise which is a simulation of real fighting.

When we came back, they were practising Kata practise.

Kata is a sequence of basic movements which represent various defensive and offensive movements.
Then they started practising Kumite.

My son's opponent was his teacher.

He fought aggressively, but he couldn't do the basic movement and moved too actively, he was often taken his tail by the teacher.

Since my husband did Judo when he was a student, he was interested in his son's fight.

He said:

"He did very well, but he left himself wide open for an attack."

In my point of view as his mother, he did very well.

But his point of view as his father was quite a different from mine.

It was really interesting for me.


After the practise, the teacher told my son:

"Your Kumite was really good. Fantastic! You should practise the basic movements harder, or you will surely be strong. When practising Kata, you were thinking another things like "what am I doing after the practise" or "I want to watch TV". Keep up the good work!"

He looked glad to hear what he said.


After we came home, my husband started teaching his son where to correct his movements.

Then they practised a while again together.

I thought that it is good for my son that his father goes to his Karate practise.

He will be able to give him some advise.

By the way, speaking of my 5-year-old daughter, she is not interested in Karate at all.

She never watches her brother's practise.

She was clinging to her father during his practise.

I don't know why she likes to go to his Karate practise.

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Karate Tournament match

My 7-year-old son participated in a Karate tournament match yesterday.

Since it was his first time taking part in a real Karate match, I was more nervous than him.

Participants in his weight class consisted of only six boys and a girl, so his teacher told him that he would be able to get a medal if he wins once.

Before his match, we watched another boy and girl's match.

It was also the first time for me to watch a Karate match.

I was surprised that the children punched and kicked their opponents seriously because they usually punch and kick lightly when they practice, and they looked to be in pain when they were kicked and punched even though they wore headgear, shin guards, fist guards, and mouthpiece.

I worried whether he would be able to cope with such a match.

But he won the first match.

He fought bravely, he looked like a little martial art fighter.


His opponent in the next match was a 9-year-old girl with a green belt.

He fought against her bravely, but he was kicked and punched many times.

At the end of the match, he looked tired and he couldn't punch and kick any more.

He was like a sandbag.

He was kicked mercilessly, and he lost the match.

But he was brave.

He didn't run away from her, and he tried to fight back.

He never cried.

I thought he must have been in painful when he was kicked, but he put up with it.

If I were him, I would not be able to fight because of fear.


Consequently, he won the third prize.

He got a bronze medal and a honorable certificate.

He was glad to get them.

I hope this experience will give him confidence.

He told me that he is reserved in elementary school, and he wanted to become strong.

It doesn't mean that I want him to win the fight against his friends.

If he has confidence to himself, he will be able to feel that it is one of his good characteristics that he is reserved.


When we went to bed, he suddenly started crying.

He said:

"It was painful!"

He seemed to remember his lost match.

"You must have been in pain, but you were brave.  Go to sleep."

He went to sleep soon.

I was really impressed with him.

He is only 7 years old, but he was enough brave.

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Clumsy mom and son

Since he had the flu and they didn't offer the class during the New Year's vacation, my 7-year-old son went to the Karate practice for the first time in a month yesterday evening.

I always help him to put on his Karate uniform, but it is difficult for me to tie the obi (belt).

They offered us a handout which includes an explanation with photos showing how to tie the obi and I always refer to it when I tie it.

But I am not able to tie it well even now.

"What't the next step?"

"Mom, are you sure about this?"

"Wait a minute.... I am done! Maybe.. "

I almost forgot how to tie it yesterday.

"Oh! Loot at the time! Let's go!"

Before they started practice, the teacher looked at my son's obi and he retied it.

"Oh, I tied it in the wrong way again.."

The teacher told my son that he should tie it by himself.

 But I think it is still difficult for him to tie it by himself because he is also clumsy like me!

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Surprising kindness

I took my 6-year-old son to the Karate school with my 5-year-old daughter last evening.

We left home 5 minutes later than usual, so I told them

"Hurry up not to be late!"

After I parked my car, we ran to the Karate training hall.

But I noticed that most of lights inside the hall except the waiting area had been off and it was dark.

I entered the hall, but nobody was there.

"Oh? Maybe do we have a day off from practise today?"

I asked my son.

Then surprisingly, the Karate teacher was at the waiting area, and came to us with smiling.

He didn't wear the Karate uniform.

I said,

"Hello! Ah, don't we have a lesson today, do we?"

He answered,

"Yes. Don't you have a practise annual schedule? Maybe you got it when you applied for the sports club."

"Really? I'm sorry I didn't know about it. Maybe I might have not checked the document which I got at the time. But why are you here though you are free from our practise today?"

"Because some of my students sometimes mistake the date and come here though we don't have practise. I will feel sorry for them if they come here and there is nobody around."

I was so surprised to hear his words.

"You mean, you came here for the students like us! I am very sorry! Today is your day off , so you could relax at home!"

He said with smiling,

"Don't worry about that! Let's go to the office to get the schedule."


I was impressed with him.

He didn't have to go there yesterday because he didn't offer his lesson.

And it is not his fault that his students mistake the date, it is their fault.

But he came for his students who might not come.

I asked him how to tye the belt of the uniform again, and he taught me.

He told my son,

"See you next Friday!"

My son said "See you!" and shaked each other's hands.


I thought he must be a very good teacher.

Of course he is strong, but very kind to his students.

I was really moved by this happening.

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Joining in the KARATE club

My 6-year-old son took a trial lesson form the KARATE club two weeks ago.

Since he liked and enjoyed practising it very much, I decided to let him join the KARATE club.

He joined in the practise yesterday evening.

There are 15~20 children and adults there and they practised together.

Before the practise, they were "playing Tag" at the practise place.

My son ran to them without hesitation and joined them naturally.

I thought they were my son's acquaintances at first.

But he said,

"No, I met them for the first time."

After the practise, the teacher told me,

"He isn't reluctant to participate in the first place, is he?"

"Yes, he seemed to be like that. I didn't know he is such a kind child."

I was so surprised at his behavior.

I believe that his personality will be an advantage in his future life.

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