< protect yourself >

A couple of weeks ago, I was finalizing our homeschool curriculum and wanted to make sure to incorporate some type of physical activity. We asked Jacob if he wanted to do karate or soccer, neither of which he's ever done before, and he decided to try both!

I'll admit, I've never really "gotten" karate. All the bowing, the "yes sirs", the noise you make when you chop... and why do they chop through blocks anyway? I mean, just get a chainsaw already! Like I said, these were just my (ignorant) thoughts on a sport that I didn't know anything about. Well, all that changed when I watched Jacob participate in his first class. It's all about discipline, self-control, self-defense, focus, determination, setting goals, being respectful of yourself and others, etc. During class, they talk about what to do if a stranger approaches you with a puppy, or money, or any other means to try to abduct you. They learn about the importance of staying away from drugs, guns, alcohol, etc. During class, the sensei (teacher) will ask the children for examples of dangerous things they need to stay away from. The kids all raise their hands so they can get a turn to shout out the usual negatives..."Drugs!"... "Guns!"... "Strangers!" 

Tonight this little guy raised his hand...

"Uranium, Neptunium and Plutonium because the gamma particles can get through your skin and tinker with the DNA in your cells and kill you!"

Oh yeah. He really said that.

The sensei replied, "Well, that's a good answer but we're talking about dangerous things besides elements. Can you think of one?" Jacob then took the shape of the mold set before him and answered "Cigarettes!"