Attitudes of the General Public

[MonkeyNinja]

Almost everyday several young kids come up to me to say a simple hello. Most of the kids and a lot of parents know who and what I am.

 

When we practice at the school several kids come up to us and watch. Yet when we tell them a little of what we do and how we train they snicker at us. Like we are clowns. It is not everyone , just a few. Most of the parents, just watch or ask a few questions about us. We are happy to oblige.

 

So here is my question since several of you readers are teenagers. Why is it, that the younger kids say: 13 and under, enjoy watching us. Sometimes we even play with them on the playground.

 

The older kids(teenagers) laugh or give us dirty looks. And yet the adults(most of them) completely ignore us!

 

Does this happen to anyone? Or does this happen at your dojos, with potential new students?

 

Just curious.

[Taikudo-ka]

Kids are curious.

 

Teenagers pack an attitude towards everything.

 

Adults have generally had all curiousity and adventure beaten out of them, and are trained to ignore most of what goes on around them.

 

If you tell us a bit more about what exactly you're doing, maybe I can give a more detailed answer.

 

I remember at karate once a young guy walked past the open window, looked in and let out this best corny, cliched, Bruce Lee imitation style kiai... the one more "Asian sounding" than any Asian, I'm sure you all know what I mean...

[ZR440]

Absolutely correct. There is nothing to be added in that explanation.

 

The story of that guy in the window strikes me as so funny that one could only laugh at his mockery. Close your eyes and imagine what that guy did. I bet you are at least smiling now, aren't you.

[chh]

We used to get stuff like that all the time at our old dojo, which was on a pretty busy street, people (mostly kids but not always) would stop at the window to literally heckle us. We actually got mooned once, right in the middle of practice.

[eXcerion]

These stories remind me of when my gym used to be located next to a football club at the under 16's training time and we'd get all these punks coming and heckling us, so our instructor goes out (he's a big intimidating guy) and he asks them "what do you find so funny" and they all suddenly lose there nerve and are going "aah I dunno" and then one kid try's to grab my instructors belt and before he can reach the belt my instuctors got hold of his arm and proceeds to scare the hell out of this little kid. Aah Memories, my friend and i being younger than these teenagers at the time were quite amused.

[BlueDragon1981]

Some of this goes on everywhere I think. Not by just that ages your saying. I have noticed it at all ages....wether it be an adult laughing or a kid packing an attitude. Either way I think it is because they dont know the true meaning of the martial arts and may not have respect no matter what the age is. I dont really let it bother me and I educate any who are willing.

 

[rabid hamster]

lol that gets annoying. my friend does that to me.

[shaolinprincess]

Quote:

 

Kids are curious.

 

Teenagers pack an attitude towards everything.

 

Adults have generally had all curiousity and adventure beaten out of them, and are trained to ignore most of what goes on around them

 

Couldn't have put it better my self.

 

[ZeRo]

yeh i know what you mean. i was walking into the dojo wearing my gi and these 3 teenage girls laughed at me. they dont even know what i do but they laugh? stupid in my mind.

 

 

[BlueDragon]

Can you blame people for not respecting the martial arts? Most schools out there are mcdojo's packed with 5 year olds and black belts who couldn't fight there way out of a paper bag.