Decisions, Decisions

Okay so here's the issue. I've been waiting for Zari to be old enough to take martial arts classes since the day hour minute she was born. In fact, from the moment the sonogram tech told us we were having a girl, I started having visions of a little kung-fu master kicking the asses of little boys from kindergarten all the way to the retirement home.

Finally she turned four and the time had finally arrived. We could finally begin the journey towards me being able to sleep at night after she has left the nest (because only 6 or 7 degrees of black belts will allow that level of inner peace).

Unfortunately, her first class didn't go how I imagined it would. She didn't break any boards or flip anybody over her back. Instead, my baby was a little shy, intimidated and a lot uncoordinated. But she never quit. Subsequent conversations lead me to believe that she could do without having to ever go back (and yet she walks around the house practicing the few things she learned in the first class).

Now on the other hand, an hour doesn't go by without her singing a new tune or turning the living room into the soul train dance floor, a ballet studio or the main stage on dance fever. There's no doubt in our minds that singing and dancing is her "thing". She absolutely loves it and hence my dilemma.

If a little boy takes your toy, you can't kick his ass with singing and dancing!

The Wife and I agree that if we encourage the things the kids already love doing then they're more likely to stick with it and probably even excel. But...

If a boy tries to kiss you without your permission, you can't kick his ass with singing and dancing!

We've debated trading the karate classes for singing and dancing and my gut is telling me that it'd be the right thing to do. But my heart is screaming...

If somebody tries to throw her in a van, she can't kick his ass with singing and dancing!

In a perfect world we could let her do it all but the world isn't perfect and we're not rich. Besides that, at her age I don't want to stretch her out to thin with "this activity" and "that activity". I'll save that for 6th grade.

So, I'm rolling out a poll. And I'm anticipating the results to fall along the gender line but I could be wrong, we'll see. So if you have the time, go back to the comments on Facebook or reply on Twitter, what would YOU do? Encourage and promote the activity that she already loves EVEN if it could possibly only turn out to be a hobby? OR push the activity that she could grow to love that will have tangible benefits (like kicking boys' asses, defending herself) in the future?

A. Singing and Dancing

B. Martial Arts/Self Defense

C. Capoeira: The Brazilian martial art that combines music and dance (but she'd probably have to move to Brazil to learn it)

D. Something different altogether