Surprisingly, my instructor assigned me to help Andrea. We sparred about a week ago. She can kick really really hard, and apparently the term "light contact" was lost on her. She got me right in the side of  the knee. Later that night it started to swell and Shawn knows that I'm upset about it. When she started, she had a friend with her and they were in the adult class. They decided to critique me, who had three years' experience on them. Shawn says he would listen to advice new people, but that was not the point; their advice was non-stop to the point where I couldn't think. I couldn't figure out how to handle it and it ate me alive.

So, holding the pad for her I tried to give her advice about one technique. I dropped it, but when we went back over it, I decided that I wouldn't be doing my job if I let it go. She made excuses and blamed me (I was holding the pads wrong), said Shawn saw the move and said it was ok, etc. I couldn't believe how she was acting. Wanting to tell her off, I said, "Let's just let Shawn watch" and waited because he was finishing up with the other group. She stalked to the other end of  the mat. Moody teenager? By the time Shawn came over, she was crying!From defensive to crying? I said I had not idea, told him what happened and sat w/my husband saying, "I help 4 yr.olds at Islanders and nobody ever cried!  Shawn then said to me that some people are sensitive about working with other people (says one kid is freaked out by little Jason!) says that she does come to the side too much on that move, but after a certain point with kids, he'd just let it go, and above all tell him right away if there is a problem.  I found out that she is only 13, but when she started with her friend, they said they went to Sandburg (h.s.) and she's tall, and she was in the adult class. I thought they were close to 16 but were moved on a technicality because there were too many belt levels.

Well, she was in the bathroom crying with her mother. Even worse, her brother is always there because he is one of  the only two black belts. Then The BOMBSHELL: After re-checking on her, Shawn told me that she has an anxiety disorder (I'm nervous/shy too, but this girl is beligerant and I don't know how it relates to the anxiety, depression/anxiety? I'd like to try to make friends w'her, but the anger thing) has been recently started on medicine for it, and will have to be homeschooled. She also started her 'time of the month' for the first time. I just love that Shawn, a great looking, tough looking, single young man can talk with sensitivity about women's issues....if my mom had told my karate teacher that, I would have killed her. Maybe the mom could have just said that she can be extremely over-sensitive at times and she'll be fine.  Now they must feel that everybody knows it BECAUSE OF ME! Darn, why can't I leave things alone? I can do no right there. I talked to her mother who is the sweetest person on earth. By now Andrea was waiting in the car.

Things just get nuttier and nuttier here and I am always in the middle of it.