3/26/2011 Belt Test

Julian had his Kung Fu "belt test" today. In Kung Fu, they start off with "no belt" and then take a belt test -- that we pay for -- to move up. The belt test started with a warmup, then each group of current belts (or no belts) went through exercises they do in class on a regular basis. Another "no belt" kid older than Julian was crying and wouldn't join the big group of mostly more advanced kids warming up. We sure have our issues with our boys, but crying and being intimidated isn't among them.



This place's communication is quite poor, so I couldn't figure out if Julian passed or not. "Oh just pick up his belt next week" was the best information I got. I think he passed, bringing him up to a white belt.

Julian still seems to like kung fu, and I really really like it. I wish I could do it myself!

And it's a great way to split the boys up for some of the day. They have really, really been awful together, constantly fighting and causing problems, provoking and pestering each other, always blaming the other. Last night they were at sleepover, and Tonya, who can handle anything, also said they were horrible, and had to put Julian on timeout many times. I'm starting to wish there were a way for them to have separate rooms, but I know they'd still fight bitterly.

Today I got to experience "following through" with an instruction to an extreme. The CDC had a "summer kickoff" party today, to which I brought all 3 kids. Katrina went straight for the snow-cones, but refused to say thank you after being handed a yummy-looking green one. She even dared to say "I'm too young to say thank you!" I insisted, she refused, then I told her that I'd take her home if she didn't say thank you. I never thought I'd have to follow through so far as to taking her home, but I did. Once I've made the threat, I have to execute, annoying as it is. I left Julian and took her home, screaming her head off, and sent her to her room where she screamed at the top of her lungs and threw things for 20 minutes, until I went back to get Julian.

After the boys had lunch at the CDC, I had a great time playing foosball with them on the CDC's foosball table -- and Gabriel beat me! I'm off my game. We need a foosball table, I think it's a blast.

3/26/2011