Tae Womb Do

TAE WOMB DO
By Therese M. Guy
May 6th 2008



The world has always been competitive. We are now reaching break neck speeds not only with modern vehicles, communication devices, and nano-second food preparations, but in early child development as well.

When I was a young you started sports in high school. Now, if you do not start soccer or cheerleading as a three year old, you have no chance of making the high school team.

I own and operate a martial arts studio. I did not start my Taekwondo training until I was an adult. My class had only other adults in it and I felt proud and confident in my abilities. I was blissfully ignorant! Those rose colored glasses I wore stayed on until this year.

What caused them to fall off? Maybe, it was the gray hairs gathering on my previously brown crown, or it could be the impending birth of my first grandchild?

Whatever the reason it was very obvious tonight at Taekwondo that I need a boost of adrenaline to keep up with the kids of today.

This evening I strolled on the training floor in all my fifth degree black belt grandness and demonstrated a technique to a group of five year olds.

One new little child jumped up and yelled with enthusiasm,

“You mean like this?” And executed the technique in perfect precision. (Did I mention it only took me four years to get it right.) Oh, and I forgot, he did it while texting on one of those darn cell phones I’m still trying to figure out.

Now people read or play music to their children in the womb. So they will come out spouting French literature, speaking Latin, or humming Mosart. Ahh! How do I contend with that?

Earlier in the day my daughter had an ultra sound. My soon to be grandchild was moving like crazy. The baby was kicking, flinging its arms, and doing back-flips.

“Great” my husband quipped, “It’s doing Tae womb do.”

Do they make black belts in newborn size?
I guess I should look on all this starting at a younger age with a different light. Maybe it means, since I will be replaced faster, I can retire earlier? What do you think?