Livid.

[Dory]

Oh wow, for a yawn?! I don't know anything about martial arts, but that just hurts my feelings for him. I hope you're able to find out what happened and why.

[SewGreenBaby]

I would be livid as well. A yawn is an involuntarily function. That kind of response is completely unacceptable!

[Dory]

Originally Posted by Naturally Pampered I would be livid as well. A yawn is an involuntarily function. That kind of response is completely unacceptable!

That's what I was thinking, is from taking in oxygen (at least that's what my high school band director said) right?

[cristy_1996]

Both of my boys are in Choi Kwang Do and I would punch someone if I saw or heard about them doing that to my kid! I simply would not have my child part of a martial art that is THAT strict. Our instructor would flip his lid if he saw one of his people doing that to a child! I mean, FLIP.

More to the story or not, I don't think it is acceptable. The only time combat is used in ours is for practice. What is it teaching a child if an instructor can knock a kid to the ground in anything other than practicing their techniques???? Even then, our instructors don't work with kids that way.

[sojomisa]

That seems over the top for a yawn. My oldest boy does karate, there's no physical touching when someone is not paying attention/distracted. They will do pushups or run laps, something quick to get their head back in the game so to speak.

[Umm_Ibraheem]

I always take my child's side (they are 3yrs and 22 months) but I'll still go and ask for an explanation so that the other side can give me their version of the events. I KNOW there are two sides to the story but even if I'm livid I STILL want to hear the other side just so that I can make a judgment.

My child's feelings on the events are still valid and need to be addressed but with perspective I can help them process them (or at least that's what I tell myself).

[tweety612]

Originally Posted by Naturally Pampered I would be livid as well. A yawn is an involuntarily function. That kind of response is completely unacceptable!

Yes, this. Do they use corporal punishment for sneezing as well? Totally unacceptable. My DS is in MMA and DH usually stays for the class but is usually the only parent there.

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[mcpforever]

I'd also go get the rest of the story as I'm sure that there is more to it.

As for yawning being involuntary, yes, it is involuntary, but a student standing around looking bored and looking lackadaisical and THEN yawns, is getting called out for not being attentive. It's not so much about the yawn as it is about the student's entire attitude. My own son takes TKD and I have heard the instructors tell him he'd "better wake up" when he yawns.

And kick pads have been pats on the back or head. Sometimes instructors will slap them on their own hands to get the students' attention. I've noticed that more when the instructors are getting frustrated with less attentive and are getting sloppy.

[MomToMyMonkeys]

I've had jobs where I got my pay docked if I yawned, but that was as an adult, not a child. Although I did have conditioning punishment in gymnastics for yawning, but it was never violence.

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[TooBusyBearcubs]

Originally Posted by cristy_1996 Both of my boys are in Choi Kwang Do and I would punch someone if I saw or heard about them doing that to my kid! I simply would not have my child part of a martial art that is THAT strict. Our instructor would flip his lid if he saw one of his people doing that to a child! I mean, FLIP. More to the story or not, I don't think it is acceptable. The only time combat is used in ours is for practice. What is it teaching a child if an instructor can knock a kid to the ground in anything other than practicing their techniques???? Even then, our instructors don't work with kids that way.

Agreed.
My brother took Tae Kwon Do for years, and never, EVER did an instructor punish him in such a way. On the contrary, they were always taught that the principles of martial arts included respect, discipline and self-defense, as opposed to lack of control or aggression. It does not sound to me like this guy was exemplifying any of those principles. (Granted, it was a Christian studio, so their values may differ slightly from other studios.) One of the head instructors at my brother's studio was also a good friend of the family, and I can tell you without reservation that he would flip, too. That sort of treatment, especially of kids, would NOT be tolerated. You should definitely talk to this guy's boss, even if it is simply to clarify if this sort of thing is common. My guess is that that particular instructor needs to take a break, and will be asked to step back and clear his head for a while. If it is common, I would start looking for another studio.