Character is everywhere!

Character is everywhere!
- Unexpected wisdom around every corner -

This past spring, my son had a band concert. We transferred Alex from a private school to public this past fall, therefore, this concert was my first visit to his new school. As I roamed the halls to get to the theater, I noticed something that I didn’t think I would see at a public school: quotes on character. Big posters were all over the walls with quotes from famous people from business leaders like Bill Gates to religious individuals like Mother Theresa.

It was encouraging to see core life values expressed through artwork hanging all over the school. Okay, so fast-forward three months. Alex joins Karate America. The first two meetings are one-on-one with the instructor discussing expected behavior and how to show proper respect. The kids are told that to advance to the next belt color that they must come to class twice a week, maintain good grades, and show respect at home.

WOW! To care if the pre-teen is nice to Mom and Dad is really cool and unexpected! We need all the help we can get. I heard about this and had to sit in on the class. The instructor was a ball of positive energy. He would give an instruction and the whole class would yell, “Yes, Sir!” Unbelievable! These weren’t just older kids; there were kids as young as five in the class. What a great life lesson. Between exercises, the instructor gathered the kids and had them repeat after him, “To get what you want… believe in yourself… make a plan… work the plan… be successful.” The kids repeated this five times.

The truth is, it really does take a village to raise a child. It is one thing for Alex to observe respect and character coming from his parents every day, quite another from a Karate mentor. I don’t know, I think this respect/character business is coming back. It’s refreshing for me to see programs that incorporate core values into their curriculum. I don’t make recommendations often, but if you’re kid is thinking about Karate, give this organization a call. They’re worth every penny!

- Joe Kiedinger -

ACTION PLAN: Discuss respect and character to your kids. We need more emotionally intelligent adults in this world. Please help!