Bridgewater Soccer Mom's view of the world

Whenever I am feeling like I want my life to be different I try to remember a friend of mine (whom I've mentioned lots of times before) who doesn't have kids but really really really wants them so that I return to my regular state of gratefulness.... Part of me wants to call her now and warn her that being a parent is very difficult and sometimes painful. This is one of those nights! C breaking boards It was blackbelt testing at the Tae Kwan Do school. C was the belle of the ball. She messed up big time right in the beginning.... she almost lost her cool, but her panic forced her to channel her energy and then everything else went very well. N started strong but he didn't stay strong. He mixed up many of his forms. In sparing he did fine but not great (in my humble opinion, but apparently the judges thought otherwise). Ultimately he didn't break his boards. Not his first, not his second, not his third try - which is 20% of the grade, but worse, horrible on the ...

I read an article in September 7th's New York Times that made me think about my own identity. It was a comparison of Soccer Moms and Hockey Moms and what their kids' sports may say about their likely voting patterns. Where do we taekwondo Moms fit in? Yes, my kids both play soccer but our lives revolve around TKD. TKD has some poignant similarities to hockey: both sports are very expensive, both have chances for physical injury (and while fighting isn't formally part of hockey, kids spar each other in TKD) and neither are particularly popular sports. I spend between 3 and 10 hours a week at the TKD school. Parents talk! They talk a lot about the school and their kids and the regular schools their kids attend. After spending many hours talking with other TKD parents, I can safely say that we don't always share political views. One shouldn't make assumptions based on what sport a parent's kid plays! One dad recently wore a political t-shirt that I found directly ...

My kids do taekwondo. So even though I call myself a Soccer Mom, I am actually a TKD mom, much more! C shines at it. Normally. This week she had a setback. But as you have read here. She tries until she gets over it. If determination is the key, she will do fine. N is not as focused and that makes it harder for him to succeed. TKD students must learn forms and kicks, and must be controlled in their execution, especially in sparring. N often spars with little control, his excitement taking over his attention. Last night, however, he was really on his game! They were sparring in class for points against one another and he "won" 3-0. I am quite sure it is the first time he has done that. The teacher came up to me after class and said he was really on his mark last night.