mArTiAl_GiRl Posted April 30, 2003 Posted April 30, 2003 Well... My mother and father always listened to my stories about the training and funny situations in the Dojo, but now when they found a chinese kung-fu/wu-chu and tai-chi master and now they are practising it as his pupils, they keep telling me what is wrong with karate and why it's better that I should practise kung-fu/wu-chu instead of karate. They think they are so wise now and it's soooo annoying! I told them that I love karate and it's my hobby, I like doing katas and being at competitions and to travel with my Karate Club and all my friends, I like Japanese culture etc... But they just tell me: You're only staying there because of the Sensei, you just want to do that Shito-ryu thing with her .....blablablalbla........ oh .... But it's not true! They blame karate training, they say that I am ill because of karate, my legs, my cold and everything is because of karate and barefoot training! (I've got a cold for a long time now...) Gosh....what am I going to do?.. Do you guys have any opinions or anything.........? Kill is love
karate_woman Posted April 30, 2003 Posted April 30, 2003 This is probably so hard because it is your parents and not someone off the street. Colds aren't caused by working in barefeet, but I suppose your training could theoretically cause you to be vulnerable to one, if you overtrain. It is unfortunate when instructors talk negatively about other martial arts to their students. Martial arts are very personal, individual things and people take them for different reasons. Being snooty because someone is taking a "hard style" when you take a "soft style" or vice versa isn't appropriate. I have tried T'ai Chi, and my Sensei teaches it as well, but I can honestly say it isn't for me at this point in time. As my first Sensei told us....T'ai Chi and karate take you to the SAME destination, just by different paths. It sounds like - though your parents are older - they are new to "the path", and have all the answers, and the pride of the new student in the superiority of their style over all others. Ironically, the longer they train the less they'll feel they know, in spite of all they'll have learned All I can suggest is that you respect their choice - though advise it is not for you - and ask that they respect yours. As for them thinking you are taking it because of your Sensei, well of course you have a great Sensei, but it is the combination of the Sensei and the information that you like. I'm not sure it will help though - the newly initiated into the martial arts are often a bit feverish with their "discovery" and can't understand there are other ways. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. -Lao-Tse
tommarker Posted April 30, 2003 Posted April 30, 2003 sounds like a challenge match is upcoming to me I'm no longer posting here. Adios.
fireka Posted April 30, 2003 Posted April 30, 2003 see, thats why i hate parents! i feel your pain but honestly theres no reasoning with those ppl! just try and ignore them, i admire your faith! "i could dance like that!.......if i felt like it...." -Master Betty
mArTiAl_GiRl Posted April 30, 2003 Author Posted April 30, 2003 I'm thankful! thank you. Kill is love
karate_woman Posted April 30, 2003 Posted April 30, 2003 see, thats why i hate parents! i feel your pain but honestly theres no reasoning with those ppl! just try and ignore them, i admire your faith! Is this what I have to look forward to in a few years when my 8 year-old becomes a teenager? The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. -Lao-Tse
fireka Posted April 30, 2003 Posted April 30, 2003 karate woman, only if you do stupid stuff! if that would just cut me a little slack i wouldnt be like that. i mean come on! whats so rebellious about karate training? 'Oh no dear, he is learning to have character! weve lost complete control!' "i could dance like that!.......if i felt like it...." -Master Betty
karate_woman Posted April 30, 2003 Posted April 30, 2003 karate woman, only if you do stupid stuff! if that would just cut me a little slack i wouldnt be like that. i mean come on! whats so rebellious about karate training? 'Oh no dear, he is learning to have character! weve lost complete control!' I can't comment on your specific situation, not being a party to it, but it is my understanding it is a parent's job to provide guidance, direction, and {gasp!} limits for our children, regardless of whether "everyone is doing it" or of the child/teen's infinite wisdom. Parenting isn't a popularity contest, and I don't think being a complete pushover is the answer, either. No, karate in and of itself isn't normally rebellious - unless your parents forbid it - but the practitioner's attitude has a lot to do with how they are perceived. The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. -Lao-Tse
fireka Posted April 30, 2003 Posted April 30, 2003 okay, i didnt say it was, and i dont claim to know everything. I have no problem with my mom, shes really cool about it and thats why im training now probably. my dad is, what word can i use to describe this without offending anyone?...ah! Pro-confedarate you might say (if you catch my meaning) which in and of it self isnt bad. But he constantly wants me to do marksmanship, which i tried and am just not that good or intrested in doing. it was fun to try, and i dont mind shooting with him now and then, i mean he is my dad. But what makes me mad is that he also has a lot of very taboo social prejudices against EVERYBODY! every time were at the dinner table somehow the conversation leds to bashing some other culture, the only people he puts up with are those with very direct roots in this small little corner of south eastern USA and ireland (since my mom and all of her side is from there, i was born there, and his family has a history there) this espicially bothers me because my intrest is in world culure. id love to be a liguist, or a proffesor of world cultures. right now im thinking about being a linguist for the police or millitary if my martial arts carrear dosent kick off oir i dont publish one of my books (all of which have to do with forign culures, most are fiction and deal with the more fantastical elements of said cultures) he freaked out one time when he saw a japanese victory scroll hanging on my wall. my made him shut up though. he drives me crazy! how can he be so ignorant? "i could dance like that!.......if i felt like it...." -Master Betty
1ONEfighting Posted April 30, 2003 Posted April 30, 2003 My Dad was pretty racist until my little brother married a Nigerian girl. He flipped out when they announced they were expecting, and now you can't get him to put down the baby. Trainwreck Tiemeyerwishes he was R. Lee Ermey.
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