Does your family understand what you do?

[JBrainard]

Dispite the fact that my father is a Japanese sword enthusiast and I am a martial arts student, my mother refers to all martial arts as "kung fu."
That's fine, she's old
When I first met my wife she thought that all martial arts teachers were glorified kick boxing coaches (not that there is anything wrong with kickboxing). After being married to me for a while, she picked up on the fact that there is more to it. Yet, even though she does know that there are different styles (she could name the major ones), she insists on calling everything "karate." I've given up correcting her, partially because I know she's doing it somewhat to annoy me
Has anyone else here experienced this?

 

[CoryKS]

Haven't experienced it in MA, as my style actually is karate. But I have family members who ask me questions about my time in the army... despite the USMC license plate, flag, coffee cup, t-shirts, etc.

 

[Whitebelt]

For some reason my mother can't end the scentance " are you going to training tonight?", without replacing the word training with *cough* "Taekwondo-kwondo, hey poppajo coconut", jumping into that classic "crane stance" and attacking me... it's funny now I come to think of it.

 

[geocad]

...Yet, even though she does know that there are different styles (she could name the major ones), she insists on calling everything "karate." I've given up correcting her, partially because I know she's doing it somewhat to annoy me
Has anyone else here experienced this?

I feel for you man. My wife is exactly the same. Just ignore it because you'll NEVER win. And yes, you are most likely correct. She's calling it Karate to annoy you because she can. Haven't you noticed that little smirk on her face when she says it?

At least your wife doesn't refer to it as 'Karate-Tae Kwon Do'. My wife at times says "I'm tired and I need to fall asleep, tell me about your Karate class today."

 

[CoryKS]

My wife at times says "I'm tired and I need to fall asleep, tell me about your Karate class today."

Dude, that's just cold.

 

[JBrainard]

I feel for you man. My wife is exactly the same. Just ignore it because you'll NEVER win.

:lol: Can a man EVER win with his wife? :whip1: :lol:

 

[geocad]

Haven't experienced it in MA, as my style actually is karate. But I have family members who ask me questions about my time in the army... despite the USMC license plate, flag, coffee cup, t-shirts, etc.

I often get the same questions about the Army even though I too am a former Marine (87-91) with a license plate and sticker on my truck.

 

[bushidomartialarts]

Yep. My mom takes Tai Chi. My dad is enrolled in my Kenpo school. My uncle has black belts in Aikido and Tae Kwon Do. I have three brothers. One tests for Shodan this June, one has himself and his kids in Hapkido, the third was a wrestler and is now in the army. Gramma took Tai Chi for a while and now has me teach her cane techniques. My wife is a brown belt in Kenpo, and we met in a Capoeira class.

So yeah. I'm fortunate enough to have a family that understands and supports what I do.

 

[stickarts]

My wife helps run the school, my eldest daughter is a student, and my youngest stands on the sidelines amd mimics whats happeneiong in class!

Luckily its not an issue for me!

 

[crushing]

For some reason my mother can't end the scentance " are you going to training tonight?", without replacing the word training with *cough* "Taekwondo-kwondo, hey poppajo coconut", jumping into that classic "crane stance" and attacking me... it's funny now I come to think of it.

That's sounds freaking hillarious, but only because mother is doing it. Just about anyone else would have to seriously consider being smacked down.

My family is pretty understanding. In fact, my wife says her parents are pretty impressed I've stuck with it and have been advancing. Hey, from the in-laws, I'll take what I can get! Especially since they are slowly forking over my wife's inheritance to the casinos!

Rather than explain the differences between Taekwondo and Combat Hapkido I've considered (jokingly) making up an art generally consisting of the two and just tell them I take Taquitos. Not only are there self-defense and health beneifts, it's good with guacamole and salsa!

 

[kidswarrior]

Haven't experienced it in MA, as my style actually is karate. But I have family members who ask me questions about my time in the army... despite the USMC license plate, flag, coffee cup, t-shirts, etc.

I often get the same questions about the Army even though I too am a former Marine (87-91) with a license plate and sticker on my truck.

Hey Marines, I guess no one can get it right. I was Navy (71-75) and everyone asks about my time in the Marines (now, I was a 'Doc', but still....). :ultracool

As far as MA, outside of my wife who helps with the 6-10 year old class, I don't even try correcting 'em anymore.

 

[Xue Sheng]

My wife is from China and trained a bit of CMA herself growing up and has friends that are CMA people and yet she still calls everything I train Taiji. Of course that could be wishful thinking on her part too, she also would prefer I train 1 style not 3.

 

[crushing]

Hey Marines, I guess no one can get it right. I was Navy (71-75) and everyone asks about my time in the Marines (now, I was a 'Doc', but still....). :ultracool

Don't get upset, sounds like people are paying all three of you huge compliments!

 

[Langenschwert]

Nope. They don't get it. They don't think much about it one way or the other, and that's OK. My ex-gf however, was pretty unsupportive, resenting the time I spent training. But that's in the past. I'm footloose and fancy-free, training five days a week.

Best regards,

-Mark

 

[terryl965]

They better since my father was an instructor and all brothers and sister learned alkong with everybody else now my whole family trains with me at the school so we all better now and understand or I need to put a foot in someone ***.

 

[Steel Tiger]

No they don't really. Dad seems to have more of a grasp than the others. But whenever I mention it they kinda zone out, so I don't talk to them about it anymore. Funny, the same thing happens when I talk archaeology, "That's interesting" (eyes glaze over, start looking for someone else to talk to). Maybe its just me?

 

[Kacey]

My mother has never understood, even though I've been in TKD for 20 years - half of my life. However, after she watched my class once, and talked to the mother of a couple of my students, who told her how much her own kids had gotten out of it, she quit saying occasionally rude, but more often denigrating, things about doing something else instead of wasting my time with that "karate stuff".

My father doesn't really understand it, but he does respect it.

 

[kuntawguro]

My family hasn't a clue. My sisters do think it was kinda neat that they didn't have any problems with their boy friends beating up on them tho- they would just say- this is my brother he does that karate stuff- you should see his collection of weapons!

 

[Monadnock]

They understand completely -- they just call it CrAzY!!!

 

[Bigshadow]

Dispite the fact that my father is a Japanese sword enthusiast and I am a martial arts student, my mother refers to all martial arts as "kung fu."
That's fine, she's old
When I first met my wife she thought that all martial arts teachers were glorified kick boxing coaches (not that there is anything wrong with kickboxing). After being married to me for a while, she picked up on the fact that there is more to it. Yet, even though she does know that there are different styles (she could name the major ones), she insists on calling everything "karate." I've given up correcting her, partially because I know she's doing it somewhat to annoy me
Has anyone else here experienced this?

Yeah, I feel your pain! My family doesn't really understand. My son does, he has been to class a few times and I have taught him a little. So to make it easy for everyone, we just call it karate. No offense to you real Karate folk. Just the word is common place and it is easier than saying Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu and then getting the blank stare. Of course, my father thinks I do that silly Ninja stuff he has seen on TV, another words I have never grown up. :rofl:

Oh well. I just don't talk about it very much. It is a very personal thing.