My Baby Did It!!!!!

Thursday was yellow belt testing at Taekwondo. Alex has been working really hard at her blocks, attacks and counting in Korean. Her only problem is that she is so self critical. If she doesn't get a move on the first or second attempt, she just shuts down. She has come so far in just the couple of months she has been taking classes, but still...she is only four. And she is so incredibly stubborn. Well last week they told us that she would be eligible to test for her yellow belt.

It is funny how mothers and fathers parent in such different, and often opposite, ways. A mother tends to protect and often hold a child back for fear of failure. A father, on the other hand, will push a child out of their comfort zone and challenge them to try. So of course I didn't think Alex was ready to test yet, and Shawn just kept saying to "let her try". But I didn't want her to shut down or freeze. I didn't want her to fail. This is all still relatively new to her and I thought she should gain a bit more confidence first. Still, he wanted to at least give her the chance.

So last night I sent my baby, alone, out into a group of over 90 testers. She looked terrified. I was completely sick to my stomach. I was never a nervous test taker. But being a mother is so different. All of my hopes and desires reside with this little person. For 45 minutes, Alex sat in her group and watched the others testers test. She kept looking over at us with those pleading eyes, as to say "please just take me home". But she was brave and waited her turn. And when it was time, my little girl got up in front of 90 other participants, 8 judges and nearly 150 spectators.

Master Lim started to bark out commands and my baby did it! Being the littlest tester, she kept up with the rest of her group. She may have had the wrong hand/leg at times....but she had the techniques correct. She had good timing and did each move with pride and determination. I could even hear her yelling her hi-ya's over the other 7 kids. She was amazing. She wasn't perfect, but I think she nailed it. I still can't believe how well she did! Shawn and I went crazy. It was the proudest moment of my life!!!!

We won't know if she passed and got her yellow belt until class on Saturday. I am not sure the exact criteria. Like I said, she did miss a few steps...but I don't know how critical they are with the white belts? It doesn't matter though...we thought she was FANTASTIC...and even better...she thought she was FANTASTIC!!!

Here are a few pictures...