Isaac's niche

When Isaac was 3, Greg and I got him on the soccer team at the Y. We thought it would be:
1.) good for him to follow directions from someone other than Dad and Mom

2.) play with other kids

3.) get some exercise

Boy were we wrong. The poor kid couldn't:

1.) kick the ball

2.) keep up with the team

3.) he was afraid of his coach

Poor Isaac knew he should run, but often he didn't know which way to run. He was always lagging behind the team, somehow thinking he was doing the right thing. He never got up to the ball and when it accidentally came his way, he would freeze. And then he was afraid of the coach. Poor child. It was a traumatic experience for him. We made him finish the season, (Sticking to my belief that you should always finish what you start) but we never had him try it again.

A couple years later, I was still thinking he needed to get out with other kids. Up until this point, he only had his sister, Greg's sister Ruth, and church kids to play with and I thought it would be beneficial for him to get out and meet other boys his age. So, I thought maybe t-ball was more his speed. Boy was I wrong. Well, I guess I can't say that completely. He enjoyed t-ball, but when he graduated to coach pitch, he hated it. He would stand in the outfield blowing spit bubbles, kicking the dirt, and day-dreaming. Again, the ball hardly ever made it over to him, but when it did, he tried his best. (Only after making sure some other kid wouldn't get to it first and take care of it for him.)

Fast forward to this past summer.....Isaac had been talking for months about joining karate. I promised him that after we got moved and settled, we would look for karate lessons. All the while I was thinking that this might actually be his niche. He hated competitive sports, even though no one ever kept score in soccer or t-ball. He did not enjoy the team atmosphere, but maybe working on his own in learning and improving in Karate would be his thing.

Not to mention he was becoming quite the bully. He and Chloe would play a game, and if she won (which she normally does) he would get quite upset, storm out of the room, and sometimes resort to being a bully. I would discipline him, talk to him, pray with him, and give him alternatives to acting out this way. Nothing helped. I then decided it was time to find a karate class. He needed to channel all this energy and aggression into something positive. Into something he would be good at, not something his sister would beat him in.

And boy was I right. His overall attitude has improved drastically as he has begun to learn kicks, punches, and self discipline. At first he was quite sloppy with his moves, but over time, he has begun to get quite 'crisp' with his forms. He loves going and even when he's not feeling well, he still insists on going. He is taking instructions from his teachers, is using all sorts of energy, and is a much better sport at home. He has really grown and matured in the last 2 months that he has been in Karate. And, this has provided something both he and his dad enjoy doing. Greg and Isaac will practice at least 2 nights a week, sometimes as many as 5 nights a week. This time spent together has been so great for Isaac! Not to mention he is no longer a bully, but I have seen him go the other way, being very polite and helpful.

In mid-Feb. he will be testing for his orange belt. All the students start with the white belt and have to learn all the forms and steps. Once they do that, they are allowed to test for the next belt. He is super excited to test for the orange belt, even though he has to do it before a large audience. (Something that would normally terrify him.) I am thrilled at the growth I have seen in him, and for now, it's worth the investment of time and money we have spent.