Proud Mama Moment

Remi started karate last summer. He has wanted to do it for a long time but we never really did anything about it. Then a new school opened just a few blocks away from our house and I thought it would be a great thing for him to do for the summer. He loved it from the moment he stepped foot in the place! The first month you could go as much as you wanted and we went at least four days a week that whole month. When the month was up we talked and he said he really wanted to keep going and was willing to make the committment to going. So we signed him up for the year. As we were doing that he was talking to one of the Instructors/Owners who was telling him that it was his committment not ours and he was the one that had to be responsible and not complain, etc. And he told Remi that if he worked hard like he has been he might be able to be a green belt in a year - which would be moving up through white, purple, and blue belts and then into green. Remi's eyes got the size of saucers at the thought! And he went on to say that if he continued to work he could be a black belt by the time he went to middle school. Well, you can imagine how he loved that idea!

So, since then he has done the karate classes, demos, and extra practices every week and at every opportuniy. He loves it! Never once have I had him say he doesn't want to go to karate. He got his purple belt on Oct. 15, 2005.

In December, they had their annual awards banquet. I didn't even think about going - figuring that it was more for older kids and higher ranks. But then the Instructor pulled me aside one night and asked if we were going because Remi was getting an award. So, obviously, we went. On awards night, Remi had a great time and had no idea that he was getting something. When they called his name for the Most Enthusiastic student for his branch he just sat there. Jock and I kept waiting for him to get up and finally after a long pause he did. When he turned to us the smile on his face was so wonderful! He was so surprised and absolutely proud of himself. He told us later that when they called Remington Kramer he thought it must be another Remington Cramer with a "C"! LOL! Like there are so many Remingtong Kramers around! LOL!

So, last night after two weeks off for the holidays we went back to karate training. He was so excited to be back at it. The Instructor pulled me into the office to tell me that they were reworking the schedule and he said that Remi's regular class would still be at 5:15 but then he would be in an extra half hour class of Leadership training! What?? My kid in leadership training?? A future karate instructor?? WOW! I was so proud and happy for Remi at the thought of it. He loves karate and they obviously see the potential in him! And they also told him that they want him to test for his blue belt in Feb. so that green belt by summer is a good possibility.

I was so proud of Remi. He knew he wanted to do this and he loves it even more then he thought he would. I love that he is really successful! And I also like the "stuff" that he is learning: self defense, respect, committment, discipline. And as I was watching some news show on bullying it was interesting to see that was one of the big ways to prevent your child from being bullied - have them take karate. So, overall, I am just so proud of Remi and so glad he pestered me until I got him signed up for karate.