Why I will NEVER sign my child up at a martial arts school...

(at least not the way things are right now.)

Let's pretend for a moment that I'm not an instructor/former school operator, and that I don't have the martial arts background required to effectively teach my own children.  (Let's also pretend that I have children. haha) 

Let's also pretend that the friends I have in the martial arts world don't exist, because I'm not talking about them, and with respect to this discussion, they are a statistically insignificant minority.  Someday that will change, and I know that we will be a part of that movement, but that day is not today - at least not yet. 

Let's also pretend that I'm angry and frustrated instead of playfully twisting negativity to communicate a helpful message. :)

All that being said, right now, I wouldn't ever dream of "signing up" my hypothetical offspring at a studio, dojo, dojang, kwoon, academy, or any other martial arts school.  What they stand for offends me because it is a LIE.

The vast majority of martial arts schools today are run by someone who is/was either a great fighter/competitor, great teacher/motivator, great scholar/historian, great businessperson, great human being, or is/was trained or influenced by one of the above.  Very few (so statistically meaningless that it would almost be accurate to say 'none') are led by someone with more than one of those qualities.  Many more are led by someone with none of those qualities.  All of them are currently seeking to acquire more of these traits, and in the current economy, the trait most heavily desired amongst martial arts school operators is "great businessperson" because it keeps the doors open....while as a "parent", I'm seeking "great human being" and "great teacher" as the person that I'd entrust my imaginary children with first and foremost.

So as a pseudo-parent, I have this to say to you, Mr./Ms. Karate People Out There:

I don't care who trained you.  I care about how you will train my child.

I don't care how many people you've beaten in the ring.  I want to know if your training will protect my child if he/she ever needs it.

I don't care how many battles you've won.  I want to know how your training will help my child face the challenges in his/her life.

I don't care how many trophies you have.  I want my child to feel like a winner, not hold a sparkly plastic decoration - I can buy that for them myself.

I don't care about your prices, discounts, incentives, or sales packages.  I want to know that my child's training will be worth every penny before you will EVER see a single cent of mine.

I don't care about your mottos, creeds, and slogans.  I want to see you live the way you're asking my child to live.

I don't care about your long and proud history.  I care about how you will play a role in my child's long and proud life story. 

I don't care about how much you know.  I want to know how much you care. 

I don't care if your ad says that you teach respect, if the only thing you respect about me is my wallet.  Have we ever had a conversation without a sales pitch or an exchange of money? 

Don't tell me what I want to hear; show me what I want to see.  Only then will I entrust you with my child. 

Until I can see this from your school(s), then the person most qualified to teach my child how to protect themselves from the dangers of the world is ME.


I don't see that right now.  All I see is 'sign up for this karate birthday party' and 'buy that funny-named foam play weapon'.  You've become a part of my child's recreation (an expensive one at that) and not a part of my child's education.  This is why my friends are pulling their kids out - because in the process of trying to make a living doing what you love, you have constructed something which presents nothing more than unnecessary expenses for my family. 

I want no part of it.

If you claim to be different, show me.  Stand above the crowd high enough for me to see you, because in the blur of my fast-paced life, your uniform looks just like everybody else's.

The preceding message is a call for us to stand for integrity, my martial arts brothers and sisters.  If we cannot lead our lives as leaders in the truest sense, how can we expect anyone to support us?