One of those days...
You ever have one of those days where something happens, and it makes you step back and go "What the fuck?". Today was one of those days in Karate.
At the very end of my beginner class, when everyone was playing a game, one of my kids tried to start a fight with another one. Here's the basic setup of the game: Try to tag someone with a nerf foam ball and get them out, basically nerf-dodge ball, with a couple of extra rules to get back in the game, once out.
The first kid (k1) was running all around the room, as he was allowed to do, trying to get the other team out. The second kid (k2), who is on the same team as k1 throws a ball at the other team. K1 accidentally runs face first into the nerf ball and has his glasses knocked off. In the surprise of getting hit k1 falls to the ground. Being a good team member k2 goes and tries to help k1 up from the ground. As he stands up k1 takes a swing at k2. Now let's check this; this punch was not a random swing, k1 cocked his arm back and tried to lay k2 out. Fortunately the punch did not hit, because if it did I guarantee that k2 would have been laid out, probably with a black eye or a bloody nose.
Now the aftermath is inconsequential. I jumped in as soon as I saw the punch miss and grabbed k1 and took him to the side. I don't like how that went, but I believe I handled it appropriately.
This incident happened in front of about 4 black belts, including myself. A room full of parents, including relatives of both k1 and k2. And a class full of kids, including another relative of k1.
I've had one other incident like this happen during my teaching career, and that was between two adults. I'm still trying to get over how random and off the wall this was.
At the very end of my beginner class, when everyone was playing a game, one of my kids tried to start a fight with another one. Here's the basic setup of the game: Try to tag someone with a nerf foam ball and get them out, basically nerf-dodge ball, with a couple of extra rules to get back in the game, once out.
The first kid (k1) was running all around the room, as he was allowed to do, trying to get the other team out. The second kid (k2), who is on the same team as k1 throws a ball at the other team. K1 accidentally runs face first into the nerf ball and has his glasses knocked off. In the surprise of getting hit k1 falls to the ground. Being a good team member k2 goes and tries to help k1 up from the ground. As he stands up k1 takes a swing at k2. Now let's check this; this punch was not a random swing, k1 cocked his arm back and tried to lay k2 out. Fortunately the punch did not hit, because if it did I guarantee that k2 would have been laid out, probably with a black eye or a bloody nose.
Now the aftermath is inconsequential. I jumped in as soon as I saw the punch miss and grabbed k1 and took him to the side. I don't like how that went, but I believe I handled it appropriately.
This incident happened in front of about 4 black belts, including myself. A room full of parents, including relatives of both k1 and k2. And a class full of kids, including another relative of k1.
I've had one other incident like this happen during my teaching career, and that was between two adults. I'm still trying to get over how random and off the wall this was.