Fall 2019
Well, life has been pretty good for the Big Boys
Evan stared Kindergarten, I can hardly believe it. Seems like only days ago I was swaddling him up after a bath on a special new born sized sponge. He’s growing up so fast and his insight and intelligence are beyond impressive. I love going through his red folder, signing that I reviewed the day’s behavioral chart and seeing what cool art projects I get to hang up. I, probably more than him, enjoy going over the sight words of the week and completing any other additional homework assigned during our time together.
My favorite part though is pick up and drop off at kiss and ride. Pick up because he is so excited to see me and tell me about this day; often times he starts unpacking his backpack to show me what book he got from the library or to start chowing down on this left over afternoon snack lol. I love our talks listening to him talk about his friends; Harper, Dillon, Damien, Bryce and others whose names he can’t quite remember honestly, I can’t remember their names either lol. I had the opportunity to go to lunch at his school and I assume that’s what celebrities fell like lol. All the kids asking me questions asking me to guess their birthday and just talking to me about anything at all. I went to lunch, and will go to others, primarily to see Evan, obviously, but also for the kids to see a Dad come by himself to see his son and especially to the little boys; to show them dads are parents too. Drop off, now drop off is my favorite, after we hit our morning routine we chat on the drive to school; not really about much mainly making plans for the next time were together. It comes to our turn to be at the drop off point and this little fella unbuckles and climbs down the truck, I always roll down the windows near him and drive along time him while he walks telling him I love him and to have a good day. He smiles big smiles and says I love you too dad see ya later alligator. I always drive away chuckling almost giggling I just can’t believe he’s gotten so big and how sweet of a kid he really is.
New development in after school activities too. Evan now trains martial arts; Brazilian Jiu Jitzu and a hybrid Thai & western boxing. The kids LOVES IT and took to it like a fish to water. He’s naturally slow to warm up, so we just watched the first class, then he participated in a class and now he asks when the next class is to train and see his friends. He really is picking it up quickly and has a nasty cross collar choke :).
Why of all the afterschool activities and sports for kids his age did we, pick BJJ? Well I guess there are a lot of reasons but here’s the main ones; it helps you learn your body, what it’s capable of and how to move it. It really helps you develop fine motor patterns i.e. shrimping, hip heist, shoulder roll all good for athleticism and understanding how to move your body to get it to do what you want. Community martial arts gyms are like no other gym, there is a strong sense of community and support not just when you’re training but outside of the gym too some of the best people I have met in my life have been at a martial arts academy. It’s important to me that he learn how to serve others, not just himself; he will be strong minded and strong willed that’s also in his nature. He will also be spoiled, because that’s my nature, so we need to develop a sense of others, service and team in him together so he won’t just be a good person but a great one. Finally and maybe most importantly (?) life is going to grind him down, just like it has you and I, grind him down to a fine sand; and he’s going to have to have the internal strength and adaptability to come back better fromit. He’s got to develop his strong will into a resilient unbreakable one, while maintaining humility. How the heck can you do that at 6 besides grappling? Besides a sport where one day you’re the champ the next you’re not you lose, you get squished into the mat, get pinned on the bottom of a heavier person (and if you’re an adult there are sweating like crazy all over your face lol ) and YOU have to figure out (this means adapting to the situation just like we must do as adults), how to FIGHT OFF YOUR BACK. Just like Gunny Highway (Clint Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge) ADAPT, IMPROVISE, OVERCOME.
Like Rocky said it’s not about how hard you can hit it’s about how much you can take and keep moving forward; that’s how winning is done
ONLY BJJ offers this, military too but that’s not for 6 year olds :). Develop your body, develop your character and develop your mind; make a ton of great friends and have fun doing it.
I fell so extremely blessed to be his Dad and to be able to walk this part of his life journey alongside of him.