Dealing With Issues

[Craven]

A few years back, whilst teaching a children class, I had to step in a halt an altercation between two parents. I gave them what is known in Yorkshire as a good b*llocking (rhymes with frolicking) and sent them outside. I gave the class a kyuke period and apologised to them re what had just happened (they just looked at me in stunned silence!) I then went outside and gave the two fighting parents a second individual b*llocking explaining that they were not welcome if they cannot act like normal functioning members of society. Anyway, zooming forward to present day and I am still involved with this as one parent is now suing the other!

So I would like to know if anyone else has had cause to deal with bad behaviour from their students or members of the public, whilst instructing etc, and how did you handle it?

Cheers,

DJ

[shep]

Parents can be a funny lot cant they. This didn't happen to me but to my sensei - it was only a few weeks ago it happened. We had a young lad in the 'little kickers' class and his mum would come and watch him throughout the lesson but the problem was that she also brought her other son along who was only about one year old, just old enough to walk aided by his mother holding both his hands. She would walk him round the edge of the dojo. But after a couple of weeks she was helping him walk between the lines of students doing their mae geri's and jun zuki's etc. So she was told she had to take him out if he wanted to walk around and she refused, saying she was entitled to watch her son (the other one) doing his karate. So she was told in no uncertain terms to leave and take both her kids with her. Never seen parents fighting though - yet!

shep

[JTR]

I have never seen this in Karate but I did coach hockey for a few years and in that sport parents can be most intolerable. Not to bash hockey parents or to stereotype them but they are the worst set or parents I have seen. Not just the men who all think their little Johnny is going to be NHL superstar. It is the mothers who get into brawling in the stands because some kid hit theirs etc. I would run out of fingers if I had to list the parents I have banded from watching practice or games. It really made me sad to watch some of the kids never come back. It is the children that loose because parents can not keep the emotions in check and let us do our job.

[Craven]

Shep,

Yes I know exactly what you’re talking about. Some people just don’t get how to act in a Dojo! I suppose we could go down the route of not teaching children, I know some don’t. But in the small towns and villages over my way you struggle to get any adults to attend unless they come along and train with their offspring as encouragement and then think ‘actually, I quite like this’. There is another type of parent whom I come across. They turn up in their 4x4 SUV with little ‘Tarquin’ or ‘Imogene’ in tow and the first thing they want is to purchase all the necessary equipment i.e. Gi, Sparring Mitts, Gum Shield, Kick Pad, Over Gi, etc, etc, etc.. I usually say ‘give them a few weeks to see if they like it and then maybe look into buying a Gi?’. The kid usually doesn’t like it as they are not used to being told what to do and quits after about lesson three! So these days I’m thinking, let them splash out on all the stuff and serves them right when their little creation decides it wants to try Oboe lessons or what-ever instead. I know this isn’t the Wado way but, what the hell they can afford it!

Never seen parents fighting eh? That’s because you’re in lovely Shropshire, try Halifax in West Yorkshire. It’s a great place to practice your Tanto Dori skills!

[shep]

Shep,

Never seen parents fighting eh? That’s because you’re in lovely Shropshire, try Halifax in West Yorkshire. It’s a great place to practice your Tanto Dori skills!

Hi Craven

Im in Shropshire now but grew up and originally learnt my craft in Lewisham so am well use to tanto dori! ;-)

shep

[Craven]

Hi JTR,

Yep it’s the same here in Junior League Football (soccer to you). People are getting worse I’m afraid no respect for each other or their kids. In general I would say there seems to be more and more if this in everyday life within the UK. Either that or it’s my age and I’m becoming a grumpy old man. Were doomed, doomed I tell you.... lol!

[dangars]

We've got a group of kids that every week thinks its funny to come in and distrupt the lesson, we have had to lock the doors to the building but they now kick the wooden fire exit door we have taken photos, sensei has even invited them to have a free lesson but they still continue to be a nuisence!

[wadoka]

I was 16 or 17 and a bit naive, as I had my kit bag at the side of the dojo when some youths came in and sat by the bags rummaging. I had a gold bracelet that I had taken off in the changing and they spotted it.

I knew they had but I was too young to say anything and they ended up stealing it. Definitely learnt from that experience.

[Craven]

Ah the local hoodie gang? No offer of free lesson’s is gonna cut it I’m afraid dangars, as Karate is ‘like so not cool!’ What you need to provide is a skate park and a graffiti wall! Seriously though, I’ve experienced this before from an ex student, whom I had to ban for being disruptive in the lesson, and his tuff-guy buddies. I found the best thing to do was ignore them and just call the police they soon got bored when they didn’t get the reaction they wanted. The police aren’t interested BTW, can’t blame them really, but I still would call them just in case (not on 999 or 911 though).

[dangars]

Well I use to be like them but doing karate gave me something to focus as I was crap at all other sports other than playing pool! Its a shame kids view Karate like that and i suppose its viewed as a form of exercise which is so uncool to do these days!