Our homeschool Phys. Ed. program recently moved up a notch when Bluey enrolled in karate at East Madison Karate (EMK).
Bluey’s been asking about karate for some time now, but it took us a while to get our ducks in a row. We had to do our research, make sure this was an activity we could afford, and decide whether it would fit into our ever more complicated family schedule.
The delay between Bluey expressing an interest in karate and his class enrollment allowed us a chance to confirm his strong interest. We didn’t want to sign him up and have him drop after one class. This extra time also afforded us the opportunity to give Bluey a background in what the classes would be like and what sorts of things he would do there.
So by the time we took him in for his first class, Bluey was raring to go!
EMK offers a class for Kindergarten through 2nd graders. We love that he gets to work along side kids his own age and some that are just a little bit older. Kids and instructors are all super-friendly and helpful. Bluey fits right in and is already bonding with his classmates! Karate is a great experience for our youngest.
We are hoping karate will also help Bluey:
- Make new friends in the neighborhood. As a homeschool family, we are always on the lookout for new ways for Bluey to meet people in his age group.
- Get Physical. Although Bluey is always on the move, we think the structured environment of karate will help him to build coordination and physical fitness in a different way than his usual routine.
- Encourage self-control. The focus to learn new skills, the quiet required as a show of respect, and the attention to detail to learn new skills during karate can only benefit Bluey in all areas of his development.
- Gain Self-confidence. Karate, like most martial arts, teaches self-defense and helps build confidence for our Bluey as he moves through his world.
We are excited to watch Bluey make his way in this new world of martial arts.