How we are messing up the youth of today....

Not sure how many people know, but I am a Black belt in Tang Soo Do and Tae Kwon Do. This past Saturday we had a test. During this test you are supposed to "show off", "Do your best". The test consists of various things you learn in karate, forms, basic techniques, sparring, etc....

Well during sparring I got paired up with a 17 year old boy, to me the 17 year old would have an advantage over an "old man" so I thought it fair to go all out. So I did, first I landed a back hook kick to the side of his head, pretty good for an old man(at least I think so), then I landed a roundhouse kick in his gut and knocked the wind out of him. Respectfully, I turned my back and knelt, as I have always been taught to, while he caught his breath. After he caught his breath we continued, but then one of the Grandmasters reprimanded me and told me to take it easy. Ok, I will take it easy, and I did. After the fight was over I apologized, i do have a very strong low roundhouse and maybe the adrenaline got to me, so I apologized.

Then we rotated partners, and I figured OK I will take it easy on this one too since he is about the same age as the other guy I fought. But then I got reprimanded for not attacking enough...WHAT? Which is it, does anyone else see my confusion?

But this story isn't really about my confusion, it's about the fact that this is a karate class and a test at which we are supposed to do our best. And part of karate is sparring so guess what you are going to get hit from time to time, believe me I have been hit my fair share of times. I have come home with knots the size of baseballs on my shins from getting hit there, I have had a sore back from getting kicked in the back , accidentally of course, heck I have even had the family jewels tested a few times. The point is I didn't complain because it is all part of karate. These bumps and bruises are necessary, so you know what it feels like to get hit and so you are able to take that hit.

But it isn't just Karate, it's everywhere. Kids aren't allowed to ride without helmets, they aren't allowed to keep score at certain games, they aren't allowed to call each other names, boys aren't allowed to chase girls or vice versa, heck in some classes you can't even correct or even administer tests. Kids are going to grow up not knowing what life is about or how to handle it when it does finally hit you.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not a bully, I was the quiet kid in class that never spoke. But the above are things kids need to learn early in life so later in life they are prepared.

We are raising kids, that won't know how good a bruise can feel, or how sweet revenge can be, or even know what it's like to score the winning goal(run, touchdown,etc..) What is the point of being a kid any more. How are they supposed to learn from their mistakes if they aren't allowed to make any. How are they supposed to recover from heart breaks, not getting what they want or failure if they don't know what those things are? The great part about being a kid is that when you screw up or get hurt or don't win you have a support system called parents there to help you understand it and recover from it. But if you experience these things til you, yourself are an adult that support system isn't going to be there at least as readily as it once was.

My point is this we are raising a bunch of wimps who won't know how to handle rough times when they come and as much as parents try to protect their kids these tough times will happen. But won't you rather it happen while you were there to help them through these times, not after they "don't need you any more"?

Oh what set me off was that someone complained that I hit them too hard sparring last night, come on people it's karate, not ballet. Learn from it and get better! I don't recall hitting anyone hard last night so I don't understand. If the person I kicked too hard reads this, I apologize for kicking you too hard(it truly was not intentional), but try blocking next time.