My daughter had her first State Level Taekwondo tournament yesterday. She was one of the 12 students selected from a batch of 40. She was to report at 8:30 am. I woke up in the morning, feeling not so sure that I wanted her to do this. I went across to tell her trainer that she might be opting out. When I saw that a few of them were as young as her, I changed my mind, quickly paid up, got home, and got to the venue. I decided to hang around just in case she wanted to use the toilet etc. When I got there I realised that many of the kids from the complex were unaccompanied by their parents. I mean, what the hell could be more important than your kid. For crying out loud, it was a Sunday!!!!!!!!!!
Some of them turned a few hours later with hurriedly applied make up, as though somebody was shooting a movie on them. I think the worst thing that can happen to a kid is to feel unappreciated and unmotivated. There was no one to cheer the kids. Can you believe that I had to do it alone? I was on the cheering squad, then I am running around to give the kids a sip of water, then uplift their spirits by telling them that they are doing well. The opposition came out in large numbers and there was so much cheering for them. I really felt awful. I could see their spirits waning. I mean they were being kicked around badly. I had to hit the guy in front of me couple of times, almost yelling at him to cheer for the kids! I don’t think he will stand near me again. So what if the kid is not yours, can you not cheer for them?? Yeah, so what if his parents are at home busy stuffing their faces with dosa or whatever!
My daughter went on. She was faced with a total stranger. A bigger kid at that. She started off on a good note. But got kicked around, fell down and of all the things, began to cry!!! Poor thing! She refused to carry on. I told her that it was part of the deal and that she should have fought back. She thought she was going to be beaten up. Basically, she was not prepared. What demoralized her was that so much cheering was happening for the opponent, that she thought she already lost. I plan on doing something about that next time.
There was this other girl. I was not too sure what her parents were prepared for when the signed her up for taekwondo class. She is interested more in dance and is rather shy. You know the type. She was called for her round. Her opponent started kicking and this girl did nothing. The mother of the girl started protesting, “How can they do this?” Me being me, I held her back and told her, “You did not sign her up for ballet. This is how it is.” I could see from her expression that it did not go down well with her! Oooops!
Anyways, I am miffed with parents who cannot even come and encourage the kids when they appear for competitions. What kind of people are these? I end up at these events not just having my kid to take care of, but many others kids’ too. It is not fair on the kids. When they are appearing for sports like these, where minor injuries might occur, Parents should be around. If not for anything, it might just motivate the child to do better. It must have felt scary to them being in a strange place with so many new people. To make it all worse, the challenge of a competitions and opponents that looked like they were thirsty for blood! They really did look well prepared and came in a platoon!
So now, I am prepared to don the mantle of motivating the kids of the Taekwondo class, including my little girl, on how to face an opponent. Of course, I am going to do it in conjunction with the Master. Wish me luck. The kids of my complex will go better prepared next time. The next time round, they will be the once thirsty for blood!
Psssstttt…… I think my daughter got a silver medal!
Some of them turned a few hours later with hurriedly applied make up, as though somebody was shooting a movie on them. I think the worst thing that can happen to a kid is to feel unappreciated and unmotivated. There was no one to cheer the kids. Can you believe that I had to do it alone? I was on the cheering squad, then I am running around to give the kids a sip of water, then uplift their spirits by telling them that they are doing well. The opposition came out in large numbers and there was so much cheering for them. I really felt awful. I could see their spirits waning. I mean they were being kicked around badly. I had to hit the guy in front of me couple of times, almost yelling at him to cheer for the kids! I don’t think he will stand near me again. So what if the kid is not yours, can you not cheer for them?? Yeah, so what if his parents are at home busy stuffing their faces with dosa or whatever!
My daughter went on. She was faced with a total stranger. A bigger kid at that. She started off on a good note. But got kicked around, fell down and of all the things, began to cry!!! Poor thing! She refused to carry on. I told her that it was part of the deal and that she should have fought back. She thought she was going to be beaten up. Basically, she was not prepared. What demoralized her was that so much cheering was happening for the opponent, that she thought she already lost. I plan on doing something about that next time.
There was this other girl. I was not too sure what her parents were prepared for when the signed her up for taekwondo class. She is interested more in dance and is rather shy. You know the type. She was called for her round. Her opponent started kicking and this girl did nothing. The mother of the girl started protesting, “How can they do this?” Me being me, I held her back and told her, “You did not sign her up for ballet. This is how it is.” I could see from her expression that it did not go down well with her! Oooops!
Anyways, I am miffed with parents who cannot even come and encourage the kids when they appear for competitions. What kind of people are these? I end up at these events not just having my kid to take care of, but many others kids’ too. It is not fair on the kids. When they are appearing for sports like these, where minor injuries might occur, Parents should be around. If not for anything, it might just motivate the child to do better. It must have felt scary to them being in a strange place with so many new people. To make it all worse, the challenge of a competitions and opponents that looked like they were thirsty for blood! They really did look well prepared and came in a platoon!
So now, I am prepared to don the mantle of motivating the kids of the Taekwondo class, including my little girl, on how to face an opponent. Of course, I am going to do it in conjunction with the Master. Wish me luck. The kids of my complex will go better prepared next time. The next time round, they will be the once thirsty for blood!
Psssstttt…… I think my daughter got a silver medal!
12 comments:
I love your spirit Bins.
p/s: Congrats to Neha!!!
Silver medal huh......Wow coool!!!!!
State level event and parents didnt turn up...quite surprising really;-o.
Do the children face other kids same age as them or...????
Wow! Congrats to the li'l one and to u too :)
And gud luck :) I know u wil do it :)
Cheers!
Congratulations to your daughter on the medal. I believe that participation itself deserves kudos.
There could be many reasons why parents might not have come, but that is just not me and hubby. I do not want to miss most things. We usually pack up our whining 2 year old to almost all of our older one's soccer practises. My husband's dad never went for anything, was very hands off. But they are pretty close otherwise. So I guess it depends on each family.
Congratulate your daughter for me...
Even I can't understand how parents are so disinterested in their kids' lives - why have them if you can't be there for them?
Also, these days I find parents signing up their kids for classes because it's the 'in' thing to do and not because the kid is interested...
Holy God !!!! What kind of parents are these ????? First let them be bashed by those blood-thirsty opponents, for not being there for their kids.
You were yourself, to be there for not one kid, but so many of them. But that doesnt mean, the other parents can take it for granted and stay at home.
I agree with your sentiments totally, it is shameful of those parents to be doing this to their children.
Pl take it up the task of motivating the little ones, in taking part in such a competition. They need all the motivation they can get now.
I am impressed with my darling and courageous Neha. Hugs to her.
She'll surely do well, now that she knows how everything works.
Agnes: Thanks.
Lakshmi: I can understand about prior commitments. But maybe one parent could have been there. Otherwise, they should send the kids another time when they can be there. After all, it is not an essay competition!
Or they could have spoken to the other parents who were going and asked them to watch over the kid/ communicated via phone etc.. I found total disinterest!
Reflections: Well, actually the opponents are based on the same weight category, not age.
Swaram: thanks
Bones: U are so right. Parents are signing up kids for classes left, right n centre! They just seem to want them out of the house and out of their hair!
UmsReflections: What to do? I just can't sit by and watch kids cry out in pain hoping that somebody was there for them. I hate that feeling! I plan on calling Kani and giving her a piece of my mind! She is just one of them.
Oh Cool! Silver medal when she thought other one was being cheered - way to go.
I think it is good to introduce children to these situations where the best defense is to block by attacking rather than by not doing anything.
You are Awarded at my blog :)
First-time here! Loved the post. Could relate to it as my younger brother used to train in Taekwondo. Quite strange - parents not showing up! COngrats to your daughter. Super cool :-)
Wow! Silver Medal! Congratulations, Neha!!!
Bins, Agree with all that u have said. Congratulations Neha.... Keep it up!!!!
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