Tae Kwando Toddler

Sophia and I attended a Tae Kwando studio last week in Noe Valley to watch the Tiny Tigers class to see if she's really interested in starting her black belt training ('cause man alive, it's pricey!). While watching, she stripped out of the giant pink tutu and tried to join the class mid-way. A good sign.

The studio is giving her a week of free classes, and yesterday was her first class. They lent her a gi (the nifty uniform), which we paired with a pink t-shirt underneath ('cause we've always gotta have at least one element of pink on) and pigtails and off we went!

I didn't realize it at the first class because Sophia wasn't actually standing next to the other children, but the first thing I notice is that she's a good 4" - 5" shorter than everyone else there. They'd all been doing this for a while, too, because she was the only one to be seemingly unable to stay in the line -- or stay in one place, for that matter -- kick using the top of her foot, or stop talking. Seriously. She's no shy little mousie.

After doing their thing, the class sits in a circle. Apparently they like to focus on one word for the month, and this month's word is "courtesy." The teacher began by asking what courtesy means. The children would immediately raise their hand and wait to be called, and once called upon, would only then give their short, concise answers.

It started out with one boy saying that courtesy means helping out; another boy said that it means being nice; a girl contributes that it means learning to share, etc. By now, Sophia's getting the hang of this concept so she jumps in without being called and told them all about her sharing experience with Lida -- how Lida came over to the house for a play-date and brought her Barbie doll with a pink dress and was playing with it but wouldn't share it, which wasn't very nice, so Mommy had to ask Lida to put the Barbie away in her backpack if she wasn't going to share... It went on even longer but you get the idea here.

The teacher waited for Sophia to take a breath, then jumped in and asked another question. "Your mommies and daddies have a lot to do, right? Do you guys think that you could help out around the house? Maybe you could help with dinner by setting the table." Hands shoot up. One boy said "I help by putting the plates on the table." Another added that he could help by putting the forks and knives on the table. Sophia (not waiting to be called) yellls out, "I put the wine on the table!"

Yup, it's only Day One, and we're already establishing a reputation.

Here's Sophia learning how to kick