Stop Abusing Facebook

I have a serious love/hate relationship with Facebook. I moved away from my hometown and everything I knew the day after I graduated High School to the middle of nowhere Missouri. So most of the time I love Facebook, I love keeping in touch with my family, and my friends, my godson; it's a fantastic tool for communication with them and the many martial artists I've met and admire. However, sometimes I feel like people abuse Facebook and the caps lock button. Just so everyone knows, when you write in caps you're yelling. There's no reason to shout.

 The martial arts are like any other organization; there are wonderful genuine people that have fantastic impact on those around them. But there are also those that I feel abuse Facebook. This blog idea was sparked by multiple Facebook statuses that I've witnessed over time. Statuses that are so grossly surface value it's sickening. I'm all for promoting your school, but in a positive light. I've witnessed people that speak of vague interactions with students and parents and what comes out of it seems downright ugly. Yes, absolutely, I believe that every student no matter the age should put the time in to earn the rank they wear. However I don't think it's proper to bash an individual for questioning the time it takes between belts and assume this means they expected their rank handed to them. Especially a new parent/student. The majority of people have no idea how a karate school is ran, and most karate schools are ran differently. Just because the question was asked doesn't necessarily mean they expect a belt to be handed out, it's most likely merely a search for information.

I see nothing wrong with a parent asking; "How long will it take my child to earn their Yellow Belt rank?" This question doesn't have to be answered with a time frame, answer it with the requirements. "Ma'am we require the first 10 techniques in the system, Short Form 1 and Blocking Set 1 along with the Creed to be memorized and performed to the quality of a Yellow Belt before said rank can be earned." Send your parents home with literature, encourage them to watch their children during the class so when the child is practicing at home the parent can assist in a small way.

At our school we don't have defined time slots for rank promotion, everything is based on the individual. And yes, we get asked that question, but not as much as you would think; because we try and communicate often with our parents. Letting them know how their child is doing and how far along they are in their progression. Also one of the first things I tell new students as they are filling out the initial paperwork is; "karate is hard, but the harder you work for it the more you will earn."

I am an extremely goal oriented individual; I don't go out and just run until I'm tired. I map out what I want to do, how far I want to run before I need to turn around, then I push it just a little further. Information is a fantastic tool and asking questions is the best way to get the information you need.

So the next time a parent/student asks you, "How long will it take for my child/myself to earn my next rank?" Give that person something to work towards, build them up and present them with goals, rather then ranting about it IN CAPS LOCK on Facebook making that interaction so terribly negative, please.