January 22, 2020
This month we are developing Courtesy. Each month we discuss and develop a specific Life-Skill. The true focus of our program goes beyond just the physical and martial arts skills, but is really about helping our students develop their character. Not only is Courtesy the Life-Skill this month, it is also a tenet of Taekwondo, making it a cornerstone of our martial art.
This month we learned about how we treat others with kindness. It is more than being ‘nice’ to others, it is about realizing that our actions affect the way others feel. In class, we demonstrate good courtesy through our actions. When we bow to our partners at the beginning and end of a drill, we are demonstrating our respect for each other and promising to not harm each other. Beyond harm, we are also promising to help each other. Working with a partner, we should do our best to hold targets and shields well, stay focused and encourage our partner. Just as we want to improve our Taekwondo skills and have fun, so do our partners. By helping our partner, our demonstration of Courtesy, encourages our partner to do the same.
While we can encourage other, ultimately, we cannot control their actions. The only person we control is ourselves. This intersects with Courtesy when we realize that regardless of the situation, we choose how we respond. We discussed how when our brother or sister takes a toy from us, we have the option of how to respond. Do we ‘fight’ our sibling over the toy or do we still act with Courtesy? We can ask our sibling for the toy back and our sibling has the choice how to respond. If they give it back, then we have solved the situation. If they do not, we can talk to our parents. Talk, not yell. The situation, expands when we realize that we need to treat our parents with Courtesy, regardless of how frustrated or annoyed we are with our sibling. Treating our parents with Courtesy in this situation, regulating our emotional response, brings a better result to the situation.
If you are interested in learning more about our program and Life-Skills, we always start with a free introduction class. Email us, [email protected], to schedule a time.
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