In TKD, the youngsters earn a stripe by learning (and repeating) the Tiger-Cub promise. The promise is pretty much pointing out that they are to use their TKD powers for good and not evil.
Story...
Caroline came home last week with a gnarly skinned-up knee. When I asked her what happened, she informed me that she fell at the Y...then added that she was pushed by some boy. She was not upset, so I figured it was not a big deal. We bought some super cool 'special' bandages, doctored it up and she was able to hold her own (some favoring by the end) in TKD class that night. The next morning (with the super-cool bandage) she was off and back to school the next day. I go to pick her up from the Y and she pointed out that she fell on the same knee again- yep, she mentioned the- now infamous- 'pusher' who played a role. Come Thursday, I am picking her up from gymnastics and before I could get to her, she comes hauling ass (I have never seen her run so hard) towards me and...yep, you guess it...trips and falls on the same darned knee. This stage in the game it was kind of ridiculous how much her poor little knee had been subjected to. She was in pain, and we opted out of TKD that evening as I had to carry her (note, Samantha was in her car seat on my other arm...my arms will be cut!) to the car. TKD classes were cancelled for the holiday, so she ws able to recover nicely this past weekend and her little knee is back to normal. Well, when I picked her up from the Y yesterday, as we were walking out, she totally called out the little punk who knocked her over twice. By calling him out, I mean she said "mommy that's him!" as she pointed (I told her it was not nice to point...then I realized she was just highlighting the perp) to this little man-child sitting in the hall. I believe he really did do it, because the look on his face was the "oh S%*^, I am in trouble" punk look he had (ok, he is a sweet-faced - probably only - 6 year old, but he hurt my baby so he is a punk:)) and he started squirming. I distracted her from getting all worked up and out the door we went. While walking to the car and I asked her what she would do if he pushed her again. Please note, the answer I am looking for here is 'tell my teacher' or something along the right thing to do. She thought about it for a second and told me that she would grab him 'like this' (she showed grabbing him by the head with both hands) and then proceeded to demonstrate a fantastic ‘head-butt’ wrestling move. I reminded her of the TKD tiger-cub promise, and she said “well, I know I can’t do it, but if I could…that’s what I’d do.”
I think if she did not already have her green stripe, it would have been on.