Li'l Dragons

For as long as I can remember I've loved martial arts. I have to admit that I don't know much about it, but I find myself mesmerized by the way they can move their bodies to do those seemingly impossible moves. (Especially impossible for those of us who have had a few babies!)

Well, I will now have the opportunity to learn a whole lot more...without ever having to throw a punch or do a kick! (Eventually I would love to participate in a program myself, but not until my youngest chitlins are a little bit older!) We decided to sign up Ethan and Joshua for the Li'l Dragons program here in Manchester at Steve White's Manchester Karate Studio. This place came highly recommended to us as one of our babysitters, Nicole, currently attends classes there.

To say the boys are excited about this opportunity would be an understatement...just look at their faces. They were so proud to come marching out in their uniforms at the end of their orientation, I could feel my own heart beat with pride...and they hadn't even done anything yet! We look forward to the next year in this program as we watch our little boys become confident, and strong with better focus and coordination in all areas of their lives.

For anyone who has an Asperger child, this type of program is an excellent way to have them participate in something with other children yet still have the structure and one-on-one time they need to achieve their goals. For some Aspy kids, competitive sports...at this young age...may not work out well as it can be difficult for them to adhere to the rules of the game. This is definitely one of Ethan's weaknesses, so instead of exposing him to a sport that relies on team effort to accomplish a goal, we decided to introduce him to an activity where the outcome directly relies on his...and only his...ability to follow direction and improve himself one step at a time. Once he learns some self-control, reaction skills, and respect for himself and others, then he may be ready to take on a group sport if he is interested. So far, I believe he will really enjoy this program...at least for the next year. As for Joshua...he just loves to do whatever it is his brother is doing and even though he is technically a little young for the class, he showed that he could grasp some of the basic concepts during orientation. It may take him a little longer, but once he gets it, he should go quite well. Besides, that kid has a mean kick and a deadly accurate punch...those kick bags won't know what's coming!