Need the Perfect Gift for a Hard-to-Please Teen? Try a Black
Belt
Copyright 2005 by Mark Kennedy www.harmoniouswarrior.com
Oh, I know you can't give someone a black belt, any more than
you can give them a high school diploma or a college degree. But
you can give them a nudge in the right direction along with the
financial resources to make the journey. And the martial arts
journey is a secret dream of a surprising number of teens and
preteens. So if you're looking for the perfect gift for a
hard-to-please teen or 'tween'; if you want something they'll
like which will also help them (and maybe you!) through a tough
stage of their life, give them a martial arts membership!
It doesn't need to be extravagant, such as paying a whole year's
dues. Three months, one month, or even one or two introductory
lessons will do. After all, the quest for a black belt will take
a few years, and can only be sustained through the internal
motivation of the individual. No external motivation is going to
last. But if the way is mapped out, if they are gently bumped
into taking the first step, and if the destination is made
tangible, they are more likely to begin. The complex chore of
finding a school, talking to the adults there, breaking the news
to parents or friends, and then getting the money together, can
make it too overwhelming a task to attempt. If all this
groundwork is done for them, though, a teen is much more likely
at least to give it a try.
And there are solid reasons that go far deeper than the clich