Taekwondo for Leadership Skills
In the previous
It got me thinking about some of the more intangible benefits of Taekwondo. I put my kids into this program originally because (1) I wanted them to get some exercise, and (2) I wanted them to learn some
I adopted Poppy just shy of her 4th birthday, and she has been doing Taekwondo almost since she first arrived in the USA. While I would love to think that my fantastic parenting is 100% responsible for the amazing person that Poppy is today, I know that can’t be completely true. But what I do know for sure is that one of the best decisions I ever made for her as a parent was to keep her training in Taekwondo. In light of her school Vice Presidential campaign, and as she prepares for her junior black belt test after 6 years of training, I have to stop and think about all this program has done for her.
A super-introverted, nerdy kid myself, I would have died rather than to get up in front of the whole school to give a speech (and break a board!). Poppy, on the other hand, walks willingly toward it, completely of her own volition, and IN SPITE OF being nervous and scared. This is something I
Taekwondo has taught her that she can face her fears. Being a member of the sparring team
Taekwondo has taught her to help others and to rejoice in their victories. It’s part of the culture in class that the high belts help the lower belts; the lower belts help the white belts
Taekwondo has taught her courtesy. Yes, it’s one of the Tenets and therefore maybe obvious. But its effects are far-reaching. Poppy can talk to anyone. She is not afraid to go up to someone she doesn’t know and introduce herself, ask a question, offer help. She can address adults politely, make friends with other children easily. She was brand new to her elementary school this year, as a fourth grader, and during her
Taekwondo has taught her to move past disappointment. As a parent, I have often watched my kids struggle with something in class. Maybe they can’t get the moves of the pattern down and keep failing their challenges. Maybe they keep bouncing off the board instead of breaking it. Maybe they are in tears by the end of class. And as their mom I have desperately wanted to swoop in and tell them it’s okay, you don’t have to do it. I’ve wanted to ask Master Ricardo to give them one more chance, or to let them slide. But ultimately, NOT rescuing them from this has given them far more than I ever could by temporarily taking their frustration away. They’ve learned to cope with frustration. To move past it. Which is why Poppy decided to campaign for school Vice President, even though earlier in the year she lost an election for Student Council Class Representative and was inconsolable for a little while. She knew that all she could do was pick herself up and try again.
Taekwondo has taught her to work hard. There is no participation award here, no medal for just showing up. If she wants that next stripe, that next belt, that trophy at
These benefits are all things she has gained IN ADDITION to being super physically fit and healthy, and IN ADDITION to having the skills, strength
