A note from a martial art parent

A fellow dojo owner recently received this note from one of his parents…

One of my friends asked "Why do you pay so much money and spend so much time running around for your daughter to do martial arts?"

Well I have a confession to make: I don't pay for my daughter's martial art lessons.

Or her uniform, gloves & shin guards.

So, if I am not paying for martial arts, what am I paying for?

- I pay for those moments when my girl becomes so tired she feels like quitting but doesn't.

- I pay for the opportunity that my girl can have and will have to make life-long friendships.

- I pay for the chance that she may have amazing instructors that will teach her that martial arts is not just about self defense and movement but about life.

- I pay for my child to learn to be disciplined.

- I pay for my girl to learn to take care of her body.

- I pay for my daughter to learn to work with others and to be a proud ,

supportive, kind and respectful team member.

- I pay for my child to learn to deal with disappointment, when she doesn't get that belt or stripe she hoped for or fell during a move she has practiced a thousand times, but still gets up and is determined to do her BEST next time.

- I pay for my girl to learn to make and accomplish goals.

- I pay for my daughter to learn that it takes hours and hours and hours and hours of hard work and practice to create a Black Belt, and that success does not happen overnight.

- I pay so that my daughter can be in the studio instead of in front of a screen.

I could go on but, to be short, I don't pay for martial arts.

I pay for the opportunities that martial arts provides my child to develop attributes that will serve her well throughout her life and give her the opportunity to bless the lives of others.

From what I have seen for many, many years, I think it is a great investment!