Saturday's Children

Sahia, Rachey, Noel, and Mikaela didn't come in, so it was just me and the kids today.  That was the only class that took place; the teen and adult classes were empty.



I couldn't help but notice that the kids were basically following along with everything that Sahia, Noel, and Mikaela had shown them.  Of course, they were also following the training list I have up on the bulletin board.  But it was an easy day for the most part because the kids were eager to do what they needed to do without me having to do much prompting.  All except Damaris, unfortunately.

Sahia and I can't figure out why she can't pick up on learning how to jump rope.  Even the boys who've signed up this time around who did not know how to do that have improved.  Sahia has more patience with Damaris (and indeed with most of the kids) than I do.  Damaris keeps telling her parents and I that she wants to box and likes attending class.  But her constant habit of giving up too easily and lack of focus and motivation tell another story.  I find myself channeling my late mother more often while dealing with her and Yamira, as well (Yamira wasn't in the gym today).  Honestly, I don't like being short with those two.  But between Damaris not wanting to push herself and Yamira doing the same plus always whining for help instead of being proactive, I get driven up a wall.



As usual, I had to a check a few of the kids who are in Coach James' programs.  I walked into the gym to find some of his equipment in the middle of the floor.  "This stuff doesn't belong in my space," I told a kid when as I shoved the items back into Coach James' storage area.  "Coach James put it there," the kid said.  "And Coach James knows I have class in here during this time," I shot back.  Moments later, when my class began, I kept hearing loud yelling and screaming from a few kids who were sitting over in that storage area.  I marched over and before I pulled the crash door shut, I checked them about the noise.  They all started blaming each other as kids tend to do.  "I don't care!  I'm running a class in here and y'all need to respect that," I snapped.  I had no more problems out of them after that.