Black Belt Graduation

I am the mother of 3 black belt candidates scheduled to receive this honor in a matter of weeks. My youngest son is only 9 years old and will be among the ranks of a rather elite group who purportedly can adequately protect themselves and those around them.
Aside however, from the safety factor I am very proud of their discipline and dedication to this endeavor. My three sons all attend classes regularly and are very active in the Karate school. My daughter is also on a black belt track but she has a way to go. Being the mother of a black belt is definitely a source of pride. My boys have all been in various sport activities but until karate never really felt the need to continue along. It is my belief that all children need a sense of belonging in either a team or group.
Children especially need these outlets when their parents are going through a divorce. Focusing their attention on different things and virtually picking the types of people they surround themselves with is something parents should not take lightly especially as the children enter their teen years. I recall last Halloween as I walked with my younger children passed a group of teenagers hanging out throwing eggs and cream, my neighbor commented that I was very lucky that my older boys opted instead to teach at the karate school and give out snacks and candy as opposed to throwing the snacks and candy at each other.
Parents really need to play a more active roll in their children's lives as they get older. The teen years bring with them a sense of freedom that sometimes needs to be redirected especially in households where the parents are reoccupied with their own marital woes.