Part II, Day 29: Karate, revisited

Today I took the kids back to the Karate dojo to try out a full class of Little Samurais. They loved it. Even Gregory.

Weeks ago when we started talking about karate for Gregory we were concerned with how his sensory and Asperger issues would deal with the karate as a sport. He is already a soccer drop out and we want to shield him from trauma by other parents getting angry at him, etc.

I was invited to stay in the dojo today for half of the class to see how he assimilated. I was pleased to see that he was trying his darnedest to participate in an appropriate manner. He could not help himself a few times to talk out loud and he was a little lost being such a visual learner. But he passed! All three were invited to join the dojo!

I am very excited for them to do Karate and hope that they will receive the tools they need to be proud of themselves and learn to respect more fully! It is funny how sometimes life takes you down a path that you never expected to return.

When I was in university, we had to participate in a year of sports or sports classes for a requirement for graduation. I signed up for Karate because I always wanted to take the sport, but had never had the gumption to just tell my parents. I was too shy about it because I thought that it was not "feminine" enough. I loved Karate and would have graduated a black belt, but I decided to go to Spain for a year, and upon returning I never went back to the dojo. It was Senior year, there were too many graduation requirements I needed to do to ensure graduation with just three years on campus. Maybe after they are assimilated I will return to the dojo and my first athletic love. :)

Part II, Day 27: Another Saturday night...

Our first Saturday morning where we did not have to get up super early and drive down to Boston since September. It was a nice feeling. Not to say that we were lazy. Gregory still had a social skills class this morning. Luckily, my husband promised to bring him to the appointment. That left some quality time with my girls.

We decided to go for a walk since I need to walk a minimum of 20 minutes a day for exercise. Now, for me, 20 minutes is really nothing. So we decided to walk to my aunt's house and drop in for a visit. I am so proud of my girls. They walked 2 1/2 miles without a complaint! We had a nice time and kept a decent clip for their little legs. Needless to say, we did more than 20 minutes. I felt so jazzed after that...then the allergies started to kick up and now I feel miserable.

The most exciting part of the day was... the kids tried out a great Karate place. I have been leery about trying Karate with Gregory's Aspergers. My hubby and I are worried that he will not know or understand what is ok in the dojo is not ok in the house or the school yard. I found this place through another acquaintance who's child has the same diagnosis highly recommended this dojo to us. The kids had a wonderful time and we were so proud of them all as they earned their first belt really they just get it, but the Sensai made them "earn" it.

My husband and I were supposed to go out tonight. We've cancelled those plans to try and get my sinus issue under control. So, it seems like it is another Saturday night at the homestead...