Hello Parents,
I want to start off by saying a huge THANK YOU! to our wonderful parents and families, for making this re-start the BEST EVER!! The level of discipline, and energy in the dojo is phenomenal!! It is because of you, that Keiko dojo has become that special place in our community were our children can learn to discover their full and unlimited potential.
Every dojo restart and especially the New year present us with wonderful opportunities to raise our standard and take your child’s personal growth to a higher level. We want to carry the momentum we have generated this past week to develop and refine an even higher level of discipline in our children, and one of the most powerful ways we do this is with the simple procedure of how we enter/exit the dojo, and how we put our boots and shoes away.
For our newer families who may be unsure, the proper procedure is simple if you just remember this rule: We always bow when entering the dojo, and always place our shoes or boots neatly in a shoe tray….EVERYTIME!
So, why is taking off your shoes and putting them neatly in the shoe tray so important? There are some very powerful reasons that I would like to share with you.
1. Discipline: It teaches us discipline, and discipline is a product of our daily habits, practiced over and over again. (Especially when no one is looking) Discipline is just “the ability to do something you don’t want to do, most likely when you don’t want to do it, and when someone else is expecting you to do it. So we take something you do all the time (putting your boots away) that you usually do without much thought, then expect it to be done at a higher level. How does your child take their shoes off at home? Do they just kick them off and throw them anywhere? Or do they place them neatly and perhaps even tidy the shoe area? Our standards are high and we know yours are too. So, like you, we expect it to be done properly for no other reason than you care for the others around you, and expect it. Isn’t that an amazing lesson for a child to learn?! Do something just because it is the right thing to do and you do it to the best of your ability? 2. The small things: The small things really do make the biggest difference…. So now more than ever we need you, the parents, to ensure we don’t miss this glorious opportunity and continue to raise your child’s standards. I find the most important things we do are not the big occasional things, but rather the seemingly small things we do many times a day! One of the keys to success in life is learning to do the little things well, and consistently. You can never do the big things properly if you don’t do the little things well. So we are using your shoes to teach little things. 3. Procedure and Structure : Kids do not thrive or develop well in chaos or with a lack of structure in their lives. Some may think we have silly rules and procedures at our dojo like bowing when you enter the dojo, or kneeling while waiting to be brought into class when we are late or excused. You would be correct to think this, but all of these are in place for a reason, to give your child something very rare and much needed; a very disciplined and structured environment for them to grow and raise their standard. Remember…. kids that grow into young adults with high and well developed levels of both COURAGE and DISCIPLINE cannot help but reach their full potential in life.
Here is the magic in this. If you can develop these attitudes, mindsets, habits and higher personal standard with something as simple as taking off your shoes, just imagine what you will do with something really important to you?!
Here’s to your best and most disciplined year ever!!
Have an amazing week
Sensei
Keiko Karate – “Actually we do make Ninjas and Superheroes here………………we turn kids into Ninjas and we turn their parents into their superheroes!”
