This is a really tough one. Jispa doesn’t like her school
taekwondo teacher. He is a bit tough on the kids and the kids seem to hate
that. Before him there was this fun teacher who taught them and made them play
games while teaching them taekwondo. Last to last year I remember that just
before the annual play off while practicing Jispa hit leg against the wall and
got a sore foot. Her teacher then still motivated her and Jispa fought despite the
pain. On the other hand this year she has been trying to get off the taekwondo
co-curricular class.
Taekwondo is something that I was pretty keen on. I was keen
that Jispa take up some form of martial art. It would stand her in good stead
when she grows up and it also builds strength and discipline. The kicking in
taekwondo also helps build legs, that possibly has a rub off effect on her
swimming muscles. So it’s a good thing. Till the new teacher came in Jispa
loved taekwondo and is now proficient enough to kick the wooden board that they
use and break it in one clean swipe. She
was doing pretty well.
The problem is now that the teacher is one tough guy from
the old school of hard knocks. He makes the kids practice hard and bores them
to death by getting them to kick in the entire class. Then sometimes he denies
them loo breaks or water breaks. I don’t know – what would happen if you don’t drink
a bit of water in one hour. Then he scolds them if they get it wrong. Then he
takes one kid aside and teaches him extra stuff. Then once when Jispa took a
loo break he got another kid to teach her stuff she missed as opposed to
teaching it himself.
When I heard this I was wondering. Where’s the issue. This sounds
like the school I went to. My teachers were like this and the ones not like
these were the exception rather than the norm. We all got screamed at, scolded
and stopped from loo and water breaks. He seems like any of my PE teachers. Only
a bit better. I remember getting whacked on the bum with a hockey stick as
well. Ouch.
But the problem is that Jispa hates it. She positively hates
it and I guess the class hates it as well. They seem to be bitching about the
teacher within themselves a lot. The words that Jispa speaks has stuff that I would
never have thought of her noticing. Its sounds like kids bitching together and
coming to a conclusion that the teacher is bad. Whatever the truth – Jispa hates the class. So
today morning I had a longish chat with her. I understood and I then explained
to her – “understand kid, this is similar to what I had in school. If the sir
hits you then it’s bad, if he is partial all the time, then it’s bad. He took a
kid aside and taught him extra because he must have seen something more. Remember
he took you aside from your friends and made you kick the board and not let
your friends do it. That time you did not complain. Don’t complain now. I think
the issue was that your sir did not speak properly. He needs to talk sweetly to
you guys. Or at least less harsh. Think again that seems to be the issue.” Jispa
replied in affirmative. I guess she understood. I explained that its ok if
someone screams. Let them scream as much as they want. It allright. What you
want is for them to teach you. As long as he does that, its ok. As long as he doesn’t
hit it ok. Rest we will manage. “but still” I added, I think I need to speak to
him. I need to tell him that I think the kids are a little scared of you and don’t
like being scolded. Can you please be a little more soft or little less hard on
them. If I call him and do that, will that be enough”. Jispa nodded again.
So today was a test. To do something good for her while it
being bad in the short term. Its tough really tough. I love my daughter. I surely
don’t want her to have bad irritating teachers but also that is reality around
you. People scream and speak rudely all the time. Get used to it. You can run
from it. Especially if you are getting stuff that is good for you.
On Jispa’s guitar class, Jispa doesn’t have the will to
practice every time. I also recognize that Jispa can’t do it. Just no time. With
one full time sport it’s impossible to have one more hobby. Taekwondo is school
is enough extra, on which we top up with swimming. Sorry man. I had to be the
bad guy and say – fine Jispa. No guitar class anymore. She was a bit relieved
as well. We can’t make her a super kid. I don’t want that. I wanted a simple
kid, and yes a few great achievements would be nice. State swimming is good
enough. To push her for more is sheer torture. And as parents I did not want to
punish her anymore and quite frankly I thought the family was falling apart
thanks to the hectic pace. I am most worried about Jasmine. Somehow being the super
mom she is, I don’t think she knows what the pace was exacting upon her and her
mind. Yes. I thought I had to be the final bad or tough guy. The guy taking all
the decisions, especially if they are tough to be taken.
So I took the taekwondo decision and will take it to its
logical conclusion and I have taken the guitar one as well. It’s best given the
circumstances.
So anyone want a second hand guitar?
