Family/Friends

[skribs]

Just curious as to how involved your family and friends (who aren't actively doing martial arts) are in your studies. Do they show up to watch your classes? Your tests? Your tournaments? Do they ask you how classes were? This is of course assuming they are close by. Obviously if you live halfway across the country from your family, they won't be able to show up to as much.

My parents show up every once in a while to class and have shown up for some of my tests. I'm sure when I do tournaments they will come watch my tournaments. What about you guys?

 

[dancingalone]

My wife used to be my senior in aikido. I actually took take lessons from her for a good long time. We both teach our son now (only aikido for now, but I imagine he will learn some karate too eventually).

 

[Carol]

Never brought any friends to watch. Discussed training with a number of people, but usually they were interested in training in general. Those that did check out a class, did so at a school that was a better fit for their needs.

I did a minimal-contact demonstration with a friend for his mother. That was actually a valuable learning experience. During the demo, she freaked out a little bit ("Don't hit a woman!") when he was attacking me. My own mother is several states away but I had a chance to sit in at a friend's school while visiting her. She wanted to watch the class, so the experience with my friend's mom gave me a chance to prepare her for what she would see. She enjoyed the chance to watch the class from the gallery, and even tried doing some of the stretching exercises with us on a piece of the carpeted floor.

 

[sfs982000]

My kids studied for a brief time and quit, my spouse isn't crazy about me studying (mostly cause of the expense). The rest of my family and friends will ask about it from time to time, but they're across the country so there is no way they're showing up for any of my classes/tests/competitions.

 

[Tenacious_Red]

My daughters like to watch, even though they think it's cool, they prefer their gymnastics and ballet and are totally supportive in any shape or form. My ex-husband was not supportive and thought of martial arts as juvenile and not practical. I don't really share too much of it with anyone, unless they inquire about it. Because I practice in the basement of work during breaks, my co-workers ask about it all the time and think it's cool and some have showed up to a class or few, but it wasn't their thing.

 

[Dirty Dog]

My wife is one of our 2nd geups. My older daughter is 3rd. My son is 4th. Both the kids have moved away and have not continued their training, but both would like to get back into it when life allows. The other kids have come to watch an occasional class or demo but are not really interested in training. Ditto the grandkids. One of Sue's kids is a DOC officer and he's asked me to expand a bit on the PPCT training he was given at their academy. When family visits from out of state, they've mostly chosen to come watch a class. There is one nephew on Sue's side of the family who likes to play the "what if I did this" game whenever we go to visit. His eyes get a little big when I put a foot next to them, and he actually seems to enjoy being tossed around when he grabs me, but he's never joined a school in his area.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Lets see..... my wife tells me and her whole family I'm martial arts crazy.... would that be evolved

 

[Stac3y]

My sons are both students in my class and often go to tournaments with me. My mom lives out of state, but watches my class or whatever karate-related event is going on when she's visiting. My husband inquires politely how my classes and tournaments went, but is otherwise uninterested and sometimes a bit hostile toward karate. Once in a blue moon he'll come to a tournament.

 

[WaterGal]

Well, my fiance and I have a school together, so we're pretty involved.

My mom and youngest brother live about 50 miles away, and they've come to two (out of four) of my dan tests, and visited the school a few months after we opened and took a class. Mr WaterGal's entire family is local, and is entirely uninvolved. None of them have ever visited the school. But they're.... like that.

 

[Cirdan]

My family have not really been involved in or shown much interest in my MA studies. An exception is my brother`s stepdaughter who trained with us for a year or so when she was a kid. Sure they will ask a question now and then but not much more. My girlfriend has joined me for training a total of three times, once for each dojo I frequent. However I suspect that was just to make sure I did not flirt with any girls there

 

[DennisBreene]

My mother (83) is 4th dan and my sisters are all belted. They are casually interested as they don't actively practice. My kids are indulging their old man but not at all interested in training themselves.

 

[donald1]

My sister is in it she is in the same style Okinawan goju ryu and she is at orange belt hopefully I'll get to help her test for green stripe (halfway point to getting green belt)

 

[Balrog]

My wife and I run our school together. I get to play the role of chief instructor and she lets me. :boing2:

 

[Rokuta]

I have told my brothers that they would be welcome to just come and watch or to join in. So far no interest, but I'll keep trying. My family is supportive generally.