A Martial Arts Class - Finally

For a few years now, I have been trying to get a good martial arts class for my kids.  Shelly found a really good one that worked well for her family.  It was a little too far for us, and so we kept looking around here.  At first we went to the rec center, and that one was good, but too long and too many days for such small kids, and it was about $60 a person, and since we paid so much, we felt that we had to go each time,  (3 days a week for 1hr and 45 minutes).  The kids got burned out fast.  Also it ended at 8:45, way to late for little kids.  It was much better for adults.  I might be interested some day.  

Any way, we gave up on it for a while, then I tried out one at a Boys and Girls club.  That one was in the middle of summer.  The price was right, but the building had no air conditioner, and only had these fans in the ceiling that were so noisy, the kids couldn't even hear the teacher.  Also, even though it was about 110° in that building, the uniforms were black.  The instructors seemed good, but the heat and noise was horrible.  Also, the inside of the building was painted with flat paint.  Every hand print of every boy and girl who had ever walked in was visible.  It was just gross.  When I when to pay before it started, I asked the lady taking the money if the air conditioner was just broken that day.  She said that there was no air conditioning.  Then she asked me if I wanted to pay for the whole 10 week session or just one day.  I replied, "just one day".   Why pay for a whole session when you aren't coming back.  

 Then I found out the YMCA had one for members that was $35 a month and it was 1 hr a week.  That was not too bad.  So we went.  I liked it, but we had to pay a membership fee, so it was not as cheap as it seemed.  However, I figured we would be there all year, so it actually wasn't that bad.

We were there for a few months when I got the new rec center mailer saying they had a martial arts class in a small town right across the freeway from our house.  And it was only $30 a month with no membership fee.  I wanted to check it out, but I felt like we were already committed to the YMCA.  Anyway, a friend of mine wanted to do martial arts for her daughter as well, and we were going to do the YMCA one together at the beginning of January.  So I went, and there was no class.  Actually, I saw people leaving and didn't want to drag 3 kids in to find out why.  I called a few days later and found out the teacher isn't teaching any more.  I don't know if he moved or got a better job or what.  Anyway, that was the perfect chance to try out the rec center one.

Tuesday was the first class.  It is so perfect for us.  It is 10 minutes or less from out house, the head teacher is a woman.  She is tough.  Kids who misbehave get to do lots of pushups.  She is also very kind and helps the new kids figure out what to do.  I like that the main instructor is a woman.  In the last class, Andreya complained because there wasn't very many girls, just one other.  In this class, there are a lot of girls. 

The class is new - just started in January, but there are already a ton of people.  It is also an hour, but, they have a class wednesday and friday as well in the other rec center.  We can go for free if we want.  The price is also only $30 a month.  Also, in a few months, Ayden can join when he turns 5.  

Another thing I like is that the place where the tuesday night class is has a brand new playground.  It is so nice.  They also have a brand new little library, and nice fields for baseball, with a walking path around it.  And behind the rec center is an outdoor exercize machine area.  The kids discovered this and were in hog heaven.  Forget about the play ground.  They wanted to try out all the fun exercise equipment.   In fact, that night when we got home, they begged me to take them in the morning before school. So the next day they were dressed and ready 1/2 hour earlier than the time we had to leave.  We went over there before school and had a lot of fun.  That was a miracle.  My kids are rarely ready for school when they need to be.   

Anyway, I am so happy to have found just the right martial arts class. Close, cheap, freedom to take it 1, 2 or 3 nights a week, good instructor, good location, and Ayden can start soon as well too.  I am very excited about it.