A parent asked me the other day what she should do about her son who said he doesn't want to come to Taekwondo. The comment by her son really surprised her. It surprised me, too, because this particular boy is doing really well in Taekwondo and has made terrific progress in terms of self discipline, focus, and self control. In the past 16 years of teaching martial arts, I've gotten this question many times.
First, it's tough for me to answer this question without a parent feeling like I have a vested interested in them staying in the program. So let me start by saying this. Not all students or parents want to be in our program. I will also say this, I don't try and stop all people from quitting our program.
Second, I now have kids in our program and can understand more accurately what parents deal with on a regular basis when their children say they don't want to go to Taekwondo. Several years ago I had a student in our program who was doing very well. All of sudden he didn't want to go anymore. Dad came in and told me that they were quitting. I asked him if he thought the program was valuable to his son, and he said yes (as if he would say "no" to my face). By the way, I'm much wiser now and I realize if a parent allows their children to quit something, it's because they DON'T see the value in it- bottom line. I asked him if he would let his son quit the 3rd grade. I don't think I've made a lot of parents made at me, but this was one of those times when I most definately did.
I don't care what your child is involved with, be it- church, soccer, basketball, Taekwondo, the 3rd grade, if you let them quit, you don't see value in it. And, there is nothing wrong with that- I'll explain. My son, Isaac, doesn't want to play soccer this season. He wants to play t-ball. My immediate thought was "huh?" I've been playing soccer since I was in the 1st grade. I am still playing, which reminds me- I need to pay my registration fee. There are three things I want him to get when playing soccer, 1) a sense of teamwork 2) learn commitment to a team 3) develop a skill through discipline and practice. Other than that, I cannot think of any good reason why Isaac needs to continue playing soccer. Can he get these things in t-ball? You bet! He can also get them in football, basketball or practically any other team sport. Sticking with the sport for the entire season goes without question also.
When I say, there is nothing wrong with not seeing value in something, I mean there is nothing wrong with it if there is truly no value in it or the value can be replaced with another activity. So would you let your child quit the 3rd grade? Most likely not. Hopefully because you see too much value in it. For some parents, they don't see enough value in it, so they homeschool. My point is, school is a crucial part of a child's development.
I also believe that our program is a crucial part of a child's development. Taekwondo is not in the same category as a team sport or even an individual sport. I've played sports my entire life and know for a fact that the skills we teach in our program are not the same that are taught in sports. These skills aren't even really taught in school. That's why we exist. The things we teach-focus, self discipline, goal setting, leadership and respect are not taught in school, they're expected. Also, many parents don't know how to instill confidence in their children, that's why help. A confident child will: stand up to bullies, get better grades, and achieve more in life. I know because I've seen students who teared up everytime I spoke to them and then grow up to be a highly confident & successful individual. Do I believe we had something to do with that? You bet! Mom and dad think so also.
I remember the day when Isaac said he didn't want to go to Taekwondo. Rachel and I looked at each other and we knew exactly what the other was thinking. I can't remember my exact words that day, but I can tell you that I made sure not to bat an eye. I responded the exact same way when he said he didn't want to go to pre-school. I value both things... differently, but nonetheless equally. Once Isaac realized that pre-school and Taekwondo was a way of life, he has never asked to stop again. My children will participate in various sports and will be involved with many activitities, but the one constant they'll have is the education they receive from our martial arts program.
To be completely honest, I believe our martial arts program should be required for every child. We're working on getting our program to as many students as possible. Imagine, a community with youth that are more focused, disciplined, respectful, goal oriented, and confident.
How to Handle a Child That Wants to Quit an Activity
1. Do you value the activity? Take a good hard look at what your child is involved with and determine if this activity will enhance your child's future.
2. Don't force your child to do something. ReinFORCE them. Continue to talk about the benefits of an activity and the progress your child is making. If you reinforce these positive attributes, you won't have to force the activity on them.
3. Have discipline. Your child only stays home from school when they're sick, right? It's the only time they should miss their activity as well. If you're wishy washy on your child's activities, they'll be wishy washy on their commitment level as well.
4. Lead by example. This is a classic example of walking the walk. Either get involved with your child or show them that you value a very similar activity for yourself.
What things do you do to help keep your child motivated for an activity?
Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
Ph: 208.381.0587
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Zoey Addilyn Richardson
Well... some people have asked how come I wasn't in my uniform in the last picture of my blog. Here it is. As a matter of fact, it's the only picture I could find with me, Rachel, and Zoey, in my uniform at the hospital.
By the way, her name is Zoey Addilyn Richardson. If you like the name, I'm proud to say that I came up with it.
The other photo is of Rachel being taken out of the ambulance at St. Al's. Nonetheless, I'm thankful everything went smoothly. To this day, I still don't know why I never called pulled over. The funny thing is, I got pulled over today... at Bogus Basin... for going 25 in a 15. The police officer wasn't even in his car when he pulled me over. He was on foot and ran after me waving his hands. I thought he needed help, until he asked for my drivers license and registration. I didn't get a ticket because he was "in a good mood." Anyhow, if you're ever driving from the lower lodge to the upper lodge be aware that the speed limit is 15 mph.
Duncan Richardson
Monday, February 4, 2008
Who Said Uneventful Births Are The Best?
When it comes to delivering babies, Rachel can get them out fast! Isaac came within 6 hours, and Reese came within 4 hours. So we're thinking, the moment there are contractions, we're loading up and heading to the hospital... no if, ands, or buts!
Rachel's due date was January 30th, according to the doctor. Her own calculations said the baby should be here Feb. 5th. Sure enough, January 3th rolled around and Rachel started to have contractions. Excited as all get out... we get our instructors lined up for that day and head to the hospital- just to be told that we need to go home and wait for contractions to pick up again. The nurses said, "you're close... I wouldn't be surprised to see you later tonight."
Well, nothing happened later that night, nor the next night... or the one after that. Really, we just wanted to avoid Groundhog's Day. You know... the whole mole being scared by it's shadow and going back inside for 6 more weeks thing.
We escaped Groundhog's Day and the contractions began again, this time at 1 am Sunday. This was it!!! So we thought... Really, it was the same thing as before. As soon as we got to the hospital room, all contractions subsided. We head home, again, but this time with clear instructions to come back only when contractions are 4 minutes apart and stronger.
Okay, a few hours later, the contractions are stronger, but they're definately more than 4 minutes apart. Following the clear instructions, we go about our day. I met with instructors, I head out to Eagle to teach an after school program at Eagle Hills when I got the call that I better come home. No need to worry though... contractions are still erratic.
It's about 4:45 pm, and Rachel is at home, in our downstairs bathroom having pretty strong contractions. I'm halfway down Eagle Rd. talking to Rachel on the cell phone when we're in the middle of determining whether this is the real labor or not. Suddenly, I'm no longer talking to Rachel, but rather her mother. She promptly told me that they're going to load her up right now and take her to the hospital and to meet them at St. Al's.
There I was, on Eagle Rd. in rush hour traffic, at least 30 minutes away (technically the illegal lane changes I made and the speed I was going- 20 minutes). I'm literally helpless. So, I did what any calm father would do, I called 911.
911 Dispatcher: 911, please state your emergency.
Me: Yes, hello. My wife is going into labor...
911 Dispatcher: Let me transfer you to paramedics
Paramedics: Paramedics, what is your emergency.
Me [frantic]: My wife is going into labor. She is with my mother-in-law who is driving her to the hospital.
Paramedics: Are you with them now?
Me: No, I just got off the phone with my mother-in-law and she is getting her in the car and I'm worried they'll need an escort to the hospital or possibly an ambulance to meet them halfway.
Paramedics: Okay... I'm not sure how we can help at this point. Is there anyway we can get in contact with your mother-in-law so we can guide her through this process should anything happen on the way to the hospital?
Me [frantic again]: No, because I don't have her cell phone number. I do know the route they're taking to the hospital, though.
Paramedics: Okay... Actually... we just received a 911 call from 2618 Shoshone. Does that happen to be your address?
Me [hysterical]: Yes, yes! Oh crap!
Paramedics: We've got units on the way already. It looks like they weren't able to get loaded up.
Me: Okay.
Paramedics: You can help us. How old is your wife?
Me: 29
Paramedics: Were there any complications with this pregnancy?
Me: No
Paramedics: Is this her first child?
Me: No, third.
The questions went on and I finally made it to the freeway. I felt like a caged cheetah being released into the wild the moment I hit that open interstate. I remember being thankful for the fact I was going inbound when the 5 o'clock traffic was literally stopped bumper to bumper going outbound. I was thankful for many things at this moment. I was thankful that we had wonderful neighbors that were helping watching over Isaac and Reese upstairs. I was thankful for my sister who sent my brother-in-law up to the house because he was only a few minutes away (I beat him there from Eagle). I was thankful for Bob, Mr. Walton, Mrs. Krake, Mr. Dinko, Kendal, Mr. Gus, Jill and Wendy who kept the academy open and running smoothly in my absence.
The sand on the road didn't help as I rounded the turn onto Shoshone. I could see the firetruck and the ambulance parked out front. The medics and firemen also saw me as I came fishtailing around the corner. As I zoomed up, they all had dirty looks telling me to slow down. "I'M THE FATHER!!!" "Oooooh!", they said. They proceeded to tell me that mom is okay and...
IT'S A GIRL!
Luckily, I got there when I did. 10 seconds later and I would have missed the ambulance ride to the hospital. I got the rest of the story in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Evidently, Rachel never left the bathroom, but rather found a cozy spot right on the floor. It's your typical downstairs bathroom with limited space. Although, we found out, it's capable of holding a laboring mother, a mother-in-law, 2 firemen, and 1 medic in the doorway.
The fire department was the first to arrive. Zach, a young fire fighter who has never delivered a baby, came in as our baby girl was crowning. At that point, the paramedics arrived and coached Zach through the rest of the process. It was a perfect birth!
Nonetheless, the experience was absolutely priceless. Even more priceless were the looks on everyone's faces as we made our way from the ambulance to the delivery room. It was Rachel on a gurny, our baby girl on her chest, and her entourage of paramedics, firefighters, and some guy in "Karate suit." Let me tell you... our baby girl created quite an entrance (pun intended).
Baby Girl (we have plenty of boy names picked out since we were certain that's what we were having)
Weight: 7 lbs 1 ounce
Height: 19 Inches
And, healthy!
Rachel's due date was January 30th, according to the doctor. Her own calculations said the baby should be here Feb. 5th. Sure enough, January 3th rolled around and Rachel started to have contractions. Excited as all get out... we get our instructors lined up for that day and head to the hospital- just to be told that we need to go home and wait for contractions to pick up again. The nurses said, "you're close... I wouldn't be surprised to see you later tonight."
Well, nothing happened later that night, nor the next night... or the one after that. Really, we just wanted to avoid Groundhog's Day. You know... the whole mole being scared by it's shadow and going back inside for 6 more weeks thing.
We escaped Groundhog's Day and the contractions began again, this time at 1 am Sunday. This was it!!! So we thought... Really, it was the same thing as before. As soon as we got to the hospital room, all contractions subsided. We head home, again, but this time with clear instructions to come back only when contractions are 4 minutes apart and stronger.
Okay, a few hours later, the contractions are stronger, but they're definately more than 4 minutes apart. Following the clear instructions, we go about our day. I met with instructors, I head out to Eagle to teach an after school program at Eagle Hills when I got the call that I better come home. No need to worry though... contractions are still erratic.
It's about 4:45 pm, and Rachel is at home, in our downstairs bathroom having pretty strong contractions. I'm halfway down Eagle Rd. talking to Rachel on the cell phone when we're in the middle of determining whether this is the real labor or not. Suddenly, I'm no longer talking to Rachel, but rather her mother. She promptly told me that they're going to load her up right now and take her to the hospital and to meet them at St. Al's.
There I was, on Eagle Rd. in rush hour traffic, at least 30 minutes away (technically the illegal lane changes I made and the speed I was going- 20 minutes). I'm literally helpless. So, I did what any calm father would do, I called 911.
911 Dispatcher: 911, please state your emergency.
Me: Yes, hello. My wife is going into labor...
911 Dispatcher: Let me transfer you to paramedics
Paramedics: Paramedics, what is your emergency.
Me [frantic]: My wife is going into labor. She is with my mother-in-law who is driving her to the hospital.
Paramedics: Are you with them now?
Me: No, I just got off the phone with my mother-in-law and she is getting her in the car and I'm worried they'll need an escort to the hospital or possibly an ambulance to meet them halfway.
Paramedics: Okay... I'm not sure how we can help at this point. Is there anyway we can get in contact with your mother-in-law so we can guide her through this process should anything happen on the way to the hospital?
Me [frantic again]: No, because I don't have her cell phone number. I do know the route they're taking to the hospital, though.
Paramedics: Okay... Actually... we just received a 911 call from 2618 Shoshone. Does that happen to be your address?
Me [hysterical]: Yes, yes! Oh crap!
Paramedics: We've got units on the way already. It looks like they weren't able to get loaded up.
Me: Okay.
Paramedics: You can help us. How old is your wife?
Me: 29
Paramedics: Were there any complications with this pregnancy?
Me: No
Paramedics: Is this her first child?
Me: No, third.
The questions went on and I finally made it to the freeway. I felt like a caged cheetah being released into the wild the moment I hit that open interstate. I remember being thankful for the fact I was going inbound when the 5 o'clock traffic was literally stopped bumper to bumper going outbound. I was thankful for many things at this moment. I was thankful that we had wonderful neighbors that were helping watching over Isaac and Reese upstairs. I was thankful for my sister who sent my brother-in-law up to the house because he was only a few minutes away (I beat him there from Eagle). I was thankful for Bob, Mr. Walton, Mrs. Krake, Mr. Dinko, Kendal, Mr. Gus, Jill and Wendy who kept the academy open and running smoothly in my absence.
The sand on the road didn't help as I rounded the turn onto Shoshone. I could see the firetruck and the ambulance parked out front. The medics and firemen also saw me as I came fishtailing around the corner. As I zoomed up, they all had dirty looks telling me to slow down. "I'M THE FATHER!!!" "Oooooh!", they said. They proceeded to tell me that mom is okay and...
IT'S A GIRL!
Luckily, I got there when I did. 10 seconds later and I would have missed the ambulance ride to the hospital. I got the rest of the story in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Evidently, Rachel never left the bathroom, but rather found a cozy spot right on the floor. It's your typical downstairs bathroom with limited space. Although, we found out, it's capable of holding a laboring mother, a mother-in-law, 2 firemen, and 1 medic in the doorway.
The fire department was the first to arrive. Zach, a young fire fighter who has never delivered a baby, came in as our baby girl was crowning. At that point, the paramedics arrived and coached Zach through the rest of the process. It was a perfect birth!
Nonetheless, the experience was absolutely priceless. Even more priceless were the looks on everyone's faces as we made our way from the ambulance to the delivery room. It was Rachel on a gurny, our baby girl on her chest, and her entourage of paramedics, firefighters, and some guy in "Karate suit." Let me tell you... our baby girl created quite an entrance (pun intended).
Baby Girl (we have plenty of boy names picked out since we were certain that's what we were having)
Weight: 7 lbs 1 ounce
Height: 19 Inches
And, healthy!
Respectfully,
Duncan Richardson
Duncan Richardson
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sharpen That Ax
Today is a little different blog post. Many people have asked what I do in a day and I'm not really sure where to begin, so I thought I would blog about it. Today is an interested day. I wouldn't say it's a 100% typical because of some unexpected events. Also, I had sort of a mental collapse where I became too saturated with tasks that needed to get taken care of. Nonetheless, it was an outstanding day! See the bottom for the moral lesson.
Tuesday
The alarm is very similar to that of fly at a barbeque that just won't stay away from your burger. You can swat at it, but it just doesn't go away.
7:15 am
The alarm clock won! I remember a statement that Zig Ziglar always used to say, "I can't understand why people call it an alarm clock. Alarm is when there is a fire or some sort of an emergency. I call it an opportunity clock. If you can hear it, you've got an opportunity." Anyhow, the 'opportunity clock' got me up!
7:30 am
Showered up and pumped!
7:45 am
6 scrambled eggs
1 bowl of Shredded Wheat
1 cup of coffee
8:00 am
Cooked another 2 eggs for Rachel and left the coffee on for her
Chased Reese around the kitchen
Chatted with Isaac, Reese & Rachel over breakfast
8:15 am
Kissed everyone then jetted out the door
8:17 am
Popped in a little Eric Clapton
(really I was listening to a business CD, Clapton sounds much cooler though)
8:25 am
Arrived at The Academy of World Taekwondo
8:30 am
Private training client (Amy) arrives
9:00 am
Rachel and her two private training clients arrive (Betsy & Mandy)
9:30 am
Private training client (Pete) arrives
Recall thinking how cool it is working and watching Isaac & Reese play
10:11 am
Pete makes a remark, "I'm not sure you understand what you're getting into by having 3 kids."
Note: Pete has 2 kids
10:30 am
Meet with Bob our Student Relations Manager (that's the person that enables myself and other instructors the ability to communicate with new students, old students, and potential students)
11:00 am
My world collapses-
Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (a good book, but very boring) says to spend your time in 1 of 4 areas of the Time Matrix- The Not Urgent, but Important category. There is also the Urgent/Important, Not Urgent/Not Important, and Urgent/Not Important. With good planning, and self discipline it is easy to stay in the Not Urgent/Important category.
Sometimes... things get away from you and when it rains, it pours! I don't consider myself superman by any means, but I do consider myself mentally tough and a hard egg to crack. Given the right circumstances, even superman breaks down.
I'm not sure what happened between 11:00 am and 1:30 pm, nor do I feel like trying to recollect it. To others, I know I seemed relatively normally, perhaps mildly disconnected.
1:30 pm
I arrive at home and have lunch with my family
Deli style turkey sandwich with mozzarella cheese
Grapes & blueberries
Pulled myself mentally together to manage the rest of the day
1:45 pm
Calls and emails start coming in regarding whether we will have class tonight
I got on the phone and consulted with Mr. Walton, Mrs Krake, and of course Rachel. We decided to cancel all classes.
2:17 pm
Email goes out for cancelled classes
Called Bob to cancel work at Eagle location
2:30 pm-3:30 pm
Voice broadcast recorded, uploaded, and sent to 230 students by the click of a button, a 5 minute task (unfortunately my computer kept crashing and didn't get out until 3:30 pm)
3:30 pm
Head to Boise school to put up sign
4:00 pm
Taught class for students that didn't receive voice broadcast on time (3 students)
6:00 pm
Got home, got hit by a snow ball, then walked straight through the kitchen, up the stairs and right into another hot shower. I refused to think about anything OTHER than waterfalls, jungles, forests, flowers, blue skies and sunshine.
6:15 pm
I'm in my ski git' up and Isaac and I are plowing the driveway in an attempt to collect as much snow as possible to build the biggest snow fort. My batteries are recharged!!!
Isaac and I played outside until Rachel called us in for dinner.
8:00 pm
Isaac and I take out the garbage and recycling
8:15 pm
Eat dinner- Chicken, red beans & rice
Rachel and I chat at the dinner table
9:00 pm
Isaac is in bed
Reese fell asleep while we were outside playing
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Rachel and I work in the office in tandem on our computers. Oddly, she worked on my laptop and I worked on her desktop. I'm still confused about this.
11:00 pm-1:30 pm
Rachel calls it a night
I touch base with Nitesh in India regarding our Online Training Academy
I purchased an email response system and setup a merchant service account and gateway (credit card system) so Nitesh can begin integrating this.
1:30-2:18 pm
Trying to recall my day for this Blog post
2:10 pm
Reese has a bad dream
When looking back at my day, the one thing that it was lacking was my therapy sessions (see other blog post) and exercise. Stephen Covey (wow, 2 times in one blog post- he is the time management guru you know) always discusses sharpening the ax. He tells this story- The lumberjack is out in the forest just hacking a way at a tree with his dull ax. The boss comes up to him and says, you ought to sharpen that ax. The lumberjack says, I don't have time. What a predicament we find ourselves in sometimes. We get so easily engrossed in what we're doing, we sometimes forget about the very obvious- the need to sharpen the ax.
People say to me all the time, "I don't know how you do it... Do you ever sleep..? etc., etc.," The answer is quite simple, I keep my ax sharp. I found out today how hard I'm swinging that thing and if I miss one ax sharpening session, I'm toast!
So how do I sharpen my ax?
How do you sharpen your ax?
Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwond0
Ph: (208) 381-0587
http://www.freekaratelesson.com/
Tuesday
1:47 am
Closed the laptop, crawled into bed, and practically melted into my pillow.
7:00 amThe alarm is very similar to that of fly at a barbeque that just won't stay away from your burger. You can swat at it, but it just doesn't go away.
7:15 am
The alarm clock won! I remember a statement that Zig Ziglar always used to say, "I can't understand why people call it an alarm clock. Alarm is when there is a fire or some sort of an emergency. I call it an opportunity clock. If you can hear it, you've got an opportunity." Anyhow, the 'opportunity clock' got me up!
7:30 am
Showered up and pumped!
7:45 am
6 scrambled eggs
1 bowl of Shredded Wheat
1 cup of coffee
8:00 am
Cooked another 2 eggs for Rachel and left the coffee on for her
Chased Reese around the kitchen
Chatted with Isaac, Reese & Rachel over breakfast
8:15 am
Kissed everyone then jetted out the door
8:17 am
Popped in a little Eric Clapton
(really I was listening to a business CD, Clapton sounds much cooler though)
8:25 am
Arrived at The Academy of World Taekwondo
8:30 am
Private training client (Amy) arrives
9:00 am
Rachel and her two private training clients arrive (Betsy & Mandy)
9:30 am
Private training client (Pete) arrives
Recall thinking how cool it is working and watching Isaac & Reese play
10:11 am
Pete makes a remark, "I'm not sure you understand what you're getting into by having 3 kids."
Note: Pete has 2 kids
10:30 am
Meet with Bob our Student Relations Manager (that's the person that enables myself and other instructors the ability to communicate with new students, old students, and potential students)
11:00 am
My world collapses-
Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (a good book, but very boring) says to spend your time in 1 of 4 areas of the Time Matrix- The Not Urgent, but Important category. There is also the Urgent/Important, Not Urgent/Not Important, and Urgent/Not Important. With good planning, and self discipline it is easy to stay in the Not Urgent/Important category.
Sometimes... things get away from you and when it rains, it pours! I don't consider myself superman by any means, but I do consider myself mentally tough and a hard egg to crack. Given the right circumstances, even superman breaks down.
I'm not sure what happened between 11:00 am and 1:30 pm, nor do I feel like trying to recollect it. To others, I know I seemed relatively normally, perhaps mildly disconnected.
1:30 pm
I arrive at home and have lunch with my family
Deli style turkey sandwich with mozzarella cheese
Grapes & blueberries
Pulled myself mentally together to manage the rest of the day
1:45 pm
Calls and emails start coming in regarding whether we will have class tonight
I got on the phone and consulted with Mr. Walton, Mrs Krake, and of course Rachel. We decided to cancel all classes.
2:17 pm
Email goes out for cancelled classes
Called Bob to cancel work at Eagle location
2:30 pm-3:30 pm
Voice broadcast recorded, uploaded, and sent to 230 students by the click of a button, a 5 minute task (unfortunately my computer kept crashing and didn't get out until 3:30 pm)
3:30 pm
Head to Boise school to put up sign
4:00 pm
Taught class for students that didn't receive voice broadcast on time (3 students)
6:00 pm
Got home, got hit by a snow ball, then walked straight through the kitchen, up the stairs and right into another hot shower. I refused to think about anything OTHER than waterfalls, jungles, forests, flowers, blue skies and sunshine.
6:15 pm
I'm in my ski git' up and Isaac and I are plowing the driveway in an attempt to collect as much snow as possible to build the biggest snow fort. My batteries are recharged!!!
Isaac and I played outside until Rachel called us in for dinner.
8:00 pm
Isaac and I take out the garbage and recycling
8:15 pm
Eat dinner- Chicken, red beans & rice
Rachel and I chat at the dinner table
9:00 pm
Isaac is in bed
Reese fell asleep while we were outside playing
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Rachel and I work in the office in tandem on our computers. Oddly, she worked on my laptop and I worked on her desktop. I'm still confused about this.
11:00 pm-1:30 pm
Rachel calls it a night
I touch base with Nitesh in India regarding our Online Training Academy
I purchased an email response system and setup a merchant service account and gateway (credit card system) so Nitesh can begin integrating this.
1:30-2:18 pm
Trying to recall my day for this Blog post
2:10 pm
Reese has a bad dream
When looking back at my day, the one thing that it was lacking was my therapy sessions (see other blog post) and exercise. Stephen Covey (wow, 2 times in one blog post- he is the time management guru you know) always discusses sharpening the ax. He tells this story- The lumberjack is out in the forest just hacking a way at a tree with his dull ax. The boss comes up to him and says, you ought to sharpen that ax. The lumberjack says, I don't have time. What a predicament we find ourselves in sometimes. We get so easily engrossed in what we're doing, we sometimes forget about the very obvious- the need to sharpen the ax.
People say to me all the time, "I don't know how you do it... Do you ever sleep..? etc., etc.," The answer is quite simple, I keep my ax sharp. I found out today how hard I'm swinging that thing and if I miss one ax sharpening session, I'm toast!
So how do I sharpen my ax?
- Exercise-with my classes or on my own
- Teaching class- In the right frame of my mind, teaching rejuvenates you when you consider the knowledge you're empowering students with
- Therapy- Shoveling the driveway, then playing in the snow
- Meditation- In the form of an evening shower
- Reading nightly- Nonfiction & fiction
- Writing chapters for my first book
- Calling a friend everyday
How do you sharpen your ax?
Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwond0
Ph: (208) 381-0587
http://www.freekaratelesson.com/
Thursday, January 24, 2008
The Power of Words
Tonight, one of our junior students who is preparing for Black Belt was in class. His Black Belt test is in February and he does not have one of his physical requirements satisfied. This requirement is to hold on the pull up bar for 45 seconds. For a while, he has been stuck at 24 seconds while training on his own. In fact, when he came in tonight, he held for exactly 24 seconds when I watched him.
This young gentleman and I had a quick conversation. He then held for 31 seconds. We spoke just a little bit more, and he held for 38 seconds. Now he is only 7 seconds away from achieving this goal. What changed?
The conversation we had was simple. I taught him to believe. The words were simple, but the change was profound. If words can change someone's determination for success in less than a minute, how would 18 years of this sort of dialogue impact a child.
My point is, words are the most powerful things we own. You can use them to build yourself up or tear yourself down. You can use them the same way on a child, too. Think about the things you say to yourself and decide if they are really productive. Now think about how you are programing your child. Are you programing your child to be insecure or secure, shy or outgoing, etc?
Really, this can be a chapter in a book, but here are some basic things to think about when talking to your children. Always speak to your child in a manner that builds confidence. Use encouraging words and always let them know they can accomplish anything they want. Would you like that to be even more profound? Then get out there and show them you practice what you preach. Go out there and accomplish things and let your kids see your enthusiasm, your drive, and your confidence!
In addition to that, don't deny kids the opportunity to succeed just because they might fail. If they fail, they learn. I've told my competitors for years, "When you win, you get a medal. When you lose, you learn."
Take a look at these common phrases from parents that absolutely drive me nuts:
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
Ph: 208.381.0587
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com
This young gentleman and I had a quick conversation. He then held for 31 seconds. We spoke just a little bit more, and he held for 38 seconds. Now he is only 7 seconds away from achieving this goal. What changed?
The conversation we had was simple. I taught him to believe. The words were simple, but the change was profound. If words can change someone's determination for success in less than a minute, how would 18 years of this sort of dialogue impact a child.
My point is, words are the most powerful things we own. You can use them to build yourself up or tear yourself down. You can use them the same way on a child, too. Think about the things you say to yourself and decide if they are really productive. Now think about how you are programing your child. Are you programing your child to be insecure or secure, shy or outgoing, etc?
Really, this can be a chapter in a book, but here are some basic things to think about when talking to your children. Always speak to your child in a manner that builds confidence. Use encouraging words and always let them know they can accomplish anything they want. Would you like that to be even more profound? Then get out there and show them you practice what you preach. Go out there and accomplish things and let your kids see your enthusiasm, your drive, and your confidence!
In addition to that, don't deny kids the opportunity to succeed just because they might fail. If they fail, they learn. I've told my competitors for years, "When you win, you get a medal. When you lose, you learn."
Take a look at these common phrases from parents that absolutely drive me nuts:
- She doesn't talk much... she's shy.
- Don't carry that... you'll drop it.
- Don't climb up there... you'll fall.
- He's uncoordinated...
- She's the athlete and he's the bookworm. (translation in their minds: she's dumb and he's smart)
Shad Helmstetter, author of What to Say When You Talk to Yourself, says a child hears the word "No" and "Can't" 16,000 times. I had a friend over one day and he said, "You're going to let your daughter (2 years old) carry the carton of eggs?" My response was simple, "There's no way I'm going lead her into believing she can't. Besides, those eggs were on sale for 99 cents with my Albertson's preferred card:)."
Duncan RichardsonChief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
Ph: 208.381.0587
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Mr. Richardson in Therapy
Boy did it dump snow last night... I told our Ultimate Body Challenge students a week ago to hit the driveway with their shovels the moment it snows. Even if it melts the same day. During a typical year, I'm just trying to finish shoveling before it melts, but this year the snow has been hanging around a few days. Okay, I just spent several bytes of information talking about shoveling the snow... better make it a kilobyte, cause I ain't stoppin'.
When I told everyone a week ago to shovel their driveways, I was hoping to stimulate a change in daily activity. I try really hard to avoid just hanging out on a cold January Sunday. Isaac and I have a goal and it's to shovel enough snow to the front of our driveway to last until April. Actually, that's my goal, his is just for daddy to build the tallest possible snow mound. Our driveway leads to a garage that's behind our house, so it's one heck of a shoveling job. In fact, I'll even shovel our neighbors driveway. He thanks me, but really... I just wanted his snow.
I believe there are certain things in life that we need as therapy. For me, shoveling the driveway is therapeutic. In the summer, it's mowing the lawn, building or remodeling something. The funny thing is, the more I work, the more I need my therapy sessions. A buddy asked me a while ago, "don't you ever sit down and watch TV?" I really don't know how much TV people watch, but my response was, "Yes, I watch Jay Leno and Conan." I can't stand Carson Daly. His response was, "No... cable, ESPN, etc." Hmmm... I wasn't sure how to answer this.
You see, there was a point in our life when I was embarassed that Rachel and I didn't have cable. Actually, we had rabbit ears, but we hid them behind the entertainment center so nobody would see them when they came over. Finally, we thought, okay... why don't we get cable. The cable guy came out and hooked up all this wicked gadgetries. Rachel and I were so excited. We were so excited, our therapy sessions went right out the window. We had cable for 25 days and called Cableone to come get this stuff out of our house. I no longer watched the only 2 shows I enjoyed, but rather 150 other channels that I felt obligated to watch. Rachel and I hardly talked and we sure as heck didn't read a thing for those 25 days.
Today our trusty rabbit ears still sit behind the entertainment center, but not out of shame, but rather because it's the only place they'll fit at full extension. Here are a list of some of my favorite therapy sessions.
Therapy Suggestions:
Stain the fence, Mow the lawn, Shovel the driveway, Paint a room, Add organizing shelves, Building a bike ramp for Isaac (the old fashioned way- with wood), Stain concrete, Build stuff from a craftsman magazine.
For Rachel, she likes burying things and then waiting 6 months to see them grow. I personally need some instant gratification. Rachel's therapy sessions also include focusing on her business, Fireweed Baby, which is designing and creating baby & toddler belts.
What's your therapy?
Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
Ph: 208.381.0587
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com
When I told everyone a week ago to shovel their driveways, I was hoping to stimulate a change in daily activity. I try really hard to avoid just hanging out on a cold January Sunday. Isaac and I have a goal and it's to shovel enough snow to the front of our driveway to last until April. Actually, that's my goal, his is just for daddy to build the tallest possible snow mound. Our driveway leads to a garage that's behind our house, so it's one heck of a shoveling job. In fact, I'll even shovel our neighbors driveway. He thanks me, but really... I just wanted his snow.
I believe there are certain things in life that we need as therapy. For me, shoveling the driveway is therapeutic. In the summer, it's mowing the lawn, building or remodeling something. The funny thing is, the more I work, the more I need my therapy sessions. A buddy asked me a while ago, "don't you ever sit down and watch TV?" I really don't know how much TV people watch, but my response was, "Yes, I watch Jay Leno and Conan." I can't stand Carson Daly. His response was, "No... cable, ESPN, etc." Hmmm... I wasn't sure how to answer this.
You see, there was a point in our life when I was embarassed that Rachel and I didn't have cable. Actually, we had rabbit ears, but we hid them behind the entertainment center so nobody would see them when they came over. Finally, we thought, okay... why don't we get cable. The cable guy came out and hooked up all this wicked gadgetries. Rachel and I were so excited. We were so excited, our therapy sessions went right out the window. We had cable for 25 days and called Cableone to come get this stuff out of our house. I no longer watched the only 2 shows I enjoyed, but rather 150 other channels that I felt obligated to watch. Rachel and I hardly talked and we sure as heck didn't read a thing for those 25 days.
Today our trusty rabbit ears still sit behind the entertainment center, but not out of shame, but rather because it's the only place they'll fit at full extension. Here are a list of some of my favorite therapy sessions.
Therapy Suggestions:
Stain the fence, Mow the lawn, Shovel the driveway, Paint a room, Add organizing shelves, Building a bike ramp for Isaac (the old fashioned way- with wood), Stain concrete, Build stuff from a craftsman magazine.
For Rachel, she likes burying things and then waiting 6 months to see them grow. I personally need some instant gratification. Rachel's therapy sessions also include focusing on her business, Fireweed Baby, which is designing and creating baby & toddler belts.
What's your therapy?
Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
Ph: 208.381.0587
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
It's Time to Head to the Family Bank!
Hopefully you're having a wonderful 2008! I know many of you are enjoying the slopes, because I've seen you on the hill. Rachel and I have been heading up to the mountain every weekend with Isaac and Reese. Now that Rachel is due at the end of January, she is not skiing... she's jogging! Jogging down the hill following Reese, on the bunny hill of course. As of last week, Reese has actually graduated from the magic carpet to the chairlift with Isaac and myself. That's exciting loading the chairlift, let me tell you. Isaac, almost 5, and Reese 2 1/2, then a teenage lift operator flirting with the girls in front of us. For you parents on skis, you know the anxiety I speak of.
At the moment, I've been extremely busy in my life. In fact, I haven't been this busy in over 6 years. We're working on some exciting projects including a new endevour on the web where we will be able to provide our curriculum to the most remote places of the world, so long as they have internet:). We are putting our curriculum online for people around the globe to learn. In fact, our team of developers and vendors come from around the world as well. Currently, I'm working with a man named Nitesh in India, who is doing all the programming for the site. Fortunately, we get to communicate when my daytime work finishes. Unfortunately, those hours are between 12 am and 6 am.
During this time of abundent workloads and projects, I haven't forgotten what matters most- my family. How easy is it to neglect those closest to us? Tony Robbins gives a great example of a marriage. He describes it like a bank account. In order to keep your account open, you've got to continue making deposits. Sure, you can make some withdrawals, but... you can't withdraw more than you deposit. It's important that I think of every moment with Rachel, Isaac, and Reese as a deposit in the family bank account. If I need to put in some super long hours, no problem, the family bank account is full:).
Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
www.FreeKarateLesson.com
At the moment, I've been extremely busy in my life. In fact, I haven't been this busy in over 6 years. We're working on some exciting projects including a new endevour on the web where we will be able to provide our curriculum to the most remote places of the world, so long as they have internet:). We are putting our curriculum online for people around the globe to learn. In fact, our team of developers and vendors come from around the world as well. Currently, I'm working with a man named Nitesh in India, who is doing all the programming for the site. Fortunately, we get to communicate when my daytime work finishes. Unfortunately, those hours are between 12 am and 6 am.
During this time of abundent workloads and projects, I haven't forgotten what matters most- my family. How easy is it to neglect those closest to us? Tony Robbins gives a great example of a marriage. He describes it like a bank account. In order to keep your account open, you've got to continue making deposits. Sure, you can make some withdrawals, but... you can't withdraw more than you deposit. It's important that I think of every moment with Rachel, Isaac, and Reese as a deposit in the family bank account. If I need to put in some super long hours, no problem, the family bank account is full:).
Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
www.FreeKarateLesson.com
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