Over the weekend, it occurred to me that Taekwondo has pretty much infiltrated our lives. I used to look at these “soccer families,” or “baseball families,” and even the “hockey families” and wonder how the heck they did it. I absolutely couldn’t comprehend all the time they devoted to ferrying their kids around, practicing at home, and just generally following the sport.
Well folks, the joke’s on me… cause guess what?! That’s exactly where we are. Spencer has class two times a week, and in addition, spends another hour or so a day practicing. It’s both self-imposed practicing as well as “playing Taekwondo with Mama.” And that’s not all… he also manages to finagle another weekly “visit” to the dojang. Oh yes, he asks/begs/pleads to stop by and visit them. Often. It’s become his Saturday morning ritual even.
(Apparently, he is the only student they have ever had that has done so. Why does this not surprise me?!) If you are keeping track, that’s three trips a week to the dojang, and another several hours refining his skills here. Add in the occasional competition to watch or belt test to perform and you have a whole lotta hours devoted to a sport. And he’s not even five yet. Egad.
Taekwondo has infiltrated our lives to the point where I also find myself researching Taekwondo items in my free time—rebreakable boards anyone?!—and looking up various terms while cooking dinner. I have a running list of Taekwondo-related questions Spencer has come up with for the masters and instructors. He has several “favorites” on y0u*tube of TKD videos. My f@cebook feed and photo roll have become overrun with Taekwondo Tidbits. I created a whole photo book for him of the photos I had taken. And I’m still trying to formulate another post or two here on how it is all going.
Whew! I mean, that’s insane… right?! Or is it?! I honestly don’t know anymore. He’s happiest when doing Taekwondo … not necessarily at class mind you, but that’s a story for another day … and can easily keep himself entertained for hours with all things Taekwondo. And it’s becoming a source of joy for all of us. And a connection to Korea that runs much deeper than a simple sport.
So I guess I now understand how all these “sport families” do it.
Funny how that all works.
grapefruit / 4770 posts
This is awesome! I always tell DH I don’t want to be a sport family, or toting a kid to ballet all the time, (even though my parents came to my brother and I’s sporting events allll the time), but the way you describe it show it’s all worth it!
guest
My brother started TKD at that age, he was a second degree black belt by the end of elementary school. I know it really taught him a lot of self discipline at a young age!
coffee bean / 41 posts
I was so excited when this post popped up in my bloglovin’ feed! I started Tae Kwon Do after I saw a demonstration at a dinner for adoptees and their families. I wanted to be connected to my birth country, so I started taking classes and earned my black belt (and so did my sister … we were definitely a Tae Kwon Do family for a period of time, too!). Major props to you for encouraging your son–and for having the energy to keep up with him!
grapefruit / 4669 posts
I think Tae Kwon Do is a great sport to be so involved in! Glad you are able to manage the responsibilities that come along with it.
blogger / persimmon / 1398 posts
@dc yoga bee: It is all worth it! And even on the days where I don’t think so… it is!
@allison k: I’m hoping for the discipline, so this is reassuring!
@elizabeth: YAY! The number one reason we enrolled him in TKD, and specifically this dojang, was to give him another connection to Korean and Korean Americans. He’s so proud of his birth country right now, and we want to foster that as much as possible.
tororojo: Thanks! “Manage” is a great way to describe it!