The important skill of taking a kick to the head

This may come as a shock to some, but I never was a good student. 

There are three main reasons why I believe I was never a high achiever during my years of formal education: I don’t do well within the confines of a desk and classroom (why do we lock kids up like animals?), I take issue with authority figures and codes of conduct (why does it matter if middle-schoolers tuck their shirts in?), and, topping the list, I have an older brother who was a straight-A teacher’s pet student. 

I had many great teachers who went out of their way to educate me and nurture any potential they saw, but I had just as many who, upon learning my name and lineage, instantly compared me to my brother and expected the same performance. I went out of my way to make their lives a living hell. My poor parents took up for me along the way, warning educators in my wake not to make the same mistake. 

Were my actions justified? Was it right for me to lash out for not granting my own autonomy? No. I chalk it up to youthful arrogance. Now, with kids of my own, I fully understand the importance of rigorous instruction in a strict environment. I also tell teachers not to compare my children to each other. 

The good news is my offspring are smarter than I am and better behaved in the classroom, so I’ve dodged the parental payback bullet so far. I’ve never been that smart and have the test scores to prove it. 

The week of the infamous midterm exams was my least favorite season of the school year. The results revealed your strengths and faults and warned teachers who they needed to keep their eyes on. Spoiler alert: it was me. 

I always believed midterms were consigned to high school and college courses, but recently, I learned of another type of midterm exam for those studying the martial arts. My 10-year-old son is practicing for his second-degree black belt in the Korean combat discipline of Taekwondo, and this month, he had to formally display his progress to his instructors in front of his peers. His exam included performing a series of memorized moves, breaking boards with specific kicks and, last but certainly not least, demonstrating his fighting skills. 

These primitive exhibitions of aggression are nothing new for the boy. He’s been honing his skills in the local dojang since he was four years old. Through these years of practice, he has learned a skill that would be valuable to everyone in any walk of life – how to take a kick to the head. 

I challenge you to think of a better simile for life than a foot flying at rapid speed directly for the side of your skull. You better learn how to take it, dodge it, or, better still, block it and counterattack. Life comes at you hard sometimes, and it starts at a young age. Being able to roll with the literal punches makes dealing with the figurative ones easier. 

I wish I had learned that when I was younger. I might have done better in school.   

You can reach Kyle Dominy at k.l.dominy@gmail.com or write to 115 South Jefferson St. Dublin, Ga. 31021