WW: Ju-Jitsu {Linky}

Last week Isaak got his next stripe in Ju-Jitsu. They test to get 4 stripes before they move up to their next belt.

Here's all the children that tested. Each parent signed a wavier, so they can be posted online.

 

Movin' on Up!

Last Monday Mica moved up in Ju-Jitsu.

Because of the holidays we had to visit a different Y. It had the same Sensei, but different kids in the class. When he tested Mica was throwing kids, and doing pressure points on kids that he's not used to. That's ok, if someone were to come at you in attack mode you wouldn't be used to them.

Sensei threw a ton of instructions at Mica to do. A lady sitting next to me said, "Goodness I wouldn't remember all that!" Mica's been practicing. He knew what he was doing when it came to the instructions.

He has to get 4 black stripes on that belt before he moves up a belt. Right now he's earned 2 black stripes on this belt.

Way to go Mica!

I think it's time we get Mica a new top. His is looking a bit short, and he kept tugging at it.

Respect and Manners

I'm slightly behind in my posting. I've been busy doing I don't even know what. When I sit down to write, I'm off in la la land.

The end of last week I got a cold. It was only bad for 2 days. Since then I've been tired, and feeling out of it. I know day light savings is a part of it.

On with the post:

The boys had a Ju-Jitsu tournament this weekend.

All the other boys with the same rank as Mica didn't participate this time around. Mica was pretty upset about this.

Why was he upset?

Because he has a chance in winning matches with them. Instead he was paired up with other boys that also have a yellow belt, but more stripes. They've been at it longer. They are from a different Y, so Mica was unfamiliar with their strength, defense, and moves.

On top of it all Daddy was a judge. He had to make the decision that Mica didn't win those matches.  Thankfully Daddy is a fair judge. He didn't let Mica win just because he's our son.

Mica was crying. Yes I felt bad for him. I also thought: This is a good life lesson. Mica sometimes gets into the 3rd grade, "I'm great at everything!" mode. I'm not saying that I want his confidence crushed; I just don't want him to think that he is the smartest, best boy on the block. A perfect ego can be just as dangerous as a low self esteem sometimes.

I did my best to comfort Mica, but also told him that life isn't always fair. We have to pick ourselves up to learn things out of what has been given to us. If anything - that day's lesson proved that Mica needs to work harder to win the next time.

Mica lost in the Samurai Square Push, and Mount. Fast forward to the last match: It was the back defense. Someone has to go after your neck, while you spin, and kick to keep them away. Mica won 2nd place.

He thought he wasn't going to get a medal, but did.

On the other mat Isaak was doing the same things as Mica, only with his age group, and similar rank. 

He started out with warm ups. Isaak so badly wants to do the splits. Not too shabby!

He didn't win the first two either. He wasn't as bummed as Mica, but was bored. He kept making bird noises with his mouth.

Isaak won in the back defense (the last match). He won 1st place. Mica was mad that even his brother beat him. I said, "He didn't beat you. He's in a different rank." It's a maturity thing that Mica will have to get past.

Instead of Isaak being mad for not winning other medals, Isaak was excited for winning the medal he won.

Fast forward once again: Last night in Ju-Jitsu. 

Instead of working hard last night in practice, the boys got a history lesson in Ju-Jitsu. I to learned a thing or two. Jiu-Jitsu is Brazilian, and Ju-Jitsu is Japanese. "Ju-Jitsu" means, "Gentle Art". Sensei was telling the kids that they have to implement respect and manners into their daily life; just like they do at Ju-Jitsu. He also told the kids where he learned Ju-Jitsu, which is Banini South Africa.

Right after class Isaak goes up to Sensei and said, "We should call you Mr. Black Skin." I thought I was going to die. Thankfully I think Sensei didn't hear Isaak. He was busy talking to someone else. If he did hear him, he didn't say anything. I certainly heard him. I know kids say things. I said, "Isaak he is Sensei to you. Never call a person by the color of their skin! Do you hear me?" Isaak nodded out of shame. I said, "No one says to you, 'We should call you Mr. White Boy with big eyes.'" Somehow that didn't sound as bad as, "Mr. Black Skin." I know he got the point. 

I kept thinking about how Sensei just got done talking about respect and manners. Then my boy goes up, and says something offensive to many.

In Isaak's defense Sensei wears black clothes, which does make him appear that much more darker.

 
When Sensei gave Mica's class the lesson one kid said, "When are we going to do something?" Referring to the fact that they weren't kicking, rolling, punching and so on. Mica piped up and said, "We are doing something...We are exercising our brains." Yay Mica got that history lesson.

WW: Yellow Stripe {Linky}

Isaak got his first yellow stripe in Ju-Jitsu. They test for 4 yellow stripes before the test for a new belt. He was pretty excited to get his stripe and certificate.

Other kids tested to. Some were tasting for the 2nd yellow stripe, and some were testing for the first. Proud parents, proud children, and proud Sensei.

Isaak's such a stinker for being over dramatic.

6 Random Tid Bits

1. I have my voice back for the most part. Every once in awhile I sound like a teenage boy in puberty. I don't know if I'm better from the antibiotics, or the extra sleep. I could have sworn it was viral, which antibiotics do not touch. Daddy got over this thing just fine before me. Earlier in my cold I couldn't sleep because I could breathe. The last 3 nights I've went to bed at 9, 9:30 and 10. Anytime before 11 is great for me.
2. We have a busy night tonight: Eat, some family event at school, and swimming lessons and swim team. The boys started swim team last week. Well Isaak couldn't hang. I was worried about that. He's a great swimmer for his age. That doesn't mean that they've taught him every stroke yet, and worked on speed. I talked to someone last night, and we agreed that he would go in an upper swimming lesson at the same time. That's what I wanted the whole time. Gee whiz people! Too easy, too hard, let's get it right!
3. Isaak got two checks at school. Daddy said, "Ask Isaak what happened at school." I did. He said, "I got had a sex at school today and a sex at school the other day." I nearly died laughing. I asked him to repeat himself. The same thing came out. I knew it was supposed to be, "Checks". What did the little man do? He shoved someone because they wouldn't stop following him; even after he asked them to stop following him. He hit someone because hit him. I don't know the whole stories. He got checks anyhow. We had a talk. Daddy had a talk with him to.  Isaak won't put up with stuff. He's been picked on since he was itty bitty. When people give him crap, he shoves it right back in their face.
4. We went through a ton of toys and got rid of a lot. My cousin took some. The rest I'm bringing to work for my co-worker to take to his daughter who has a toddler. Now that the Goodwill doesn't take toys, it's harder getting rid of them. What do you do with old toys? Do you keep any? We've kept Thomas and Fisher Price Little people. 
5. Mica got his next stripe in Ju-Jitsu. I'll post on that later. I like his Sensei. I know we'll miss him when he's away. He had to go to Africa for his Grandma's funeral. I don't know how his helper Tyler will do without Sensei there. The only things that annoy me there are: Kids that do not listen; one kid is really bad. It's one thing to not be able to do what they are asking; and another to just flat out not listen. This is silly, but they tell the kids to face the white wall, but it's clearly grey. Being a Color and Design Theory teacher, I want to stand up and say, "That's a 20% grey wall. It's not white." LOL
6. I have a new book for one of my classes. I think I'm the only one that reads it. That stinks. I give reading assignments, but art students never seem to want to read. This is why I went with free PodCasts and worksheets for their Illustration class. Their books are not cheap. I want to shake them and say, "Read!" I do go over the material in a PowerPoint. I have to be honest I only skimmed when I was their age to. Maybe if I would have read I would have gotten better grades in my English, Art History and Philosophy courses. When I did read it only sunk in some. Philosophy is sometimes brain racking.