🛡️ Every girl should learn karate and swimming

Last month we had a family function at my aunt's farmhouse outside the city. There was a small pool in the garden and 11 kids splashing around in it. I counted the women who could swim and got to 1. Just 1, out of 9. That bothered me more than I expected, and I've been thinking about it for weeks. My cousin's daughter did a weekend karate batch at a sports complex last year. She's 11. Before that she used to walk into a room looking at the floor. Now she looks you in the face and says hello first. Nobody told her to. The coach never taught anything fancy, just basic blocks and how to stay calm. Swimming is the one I'd push harder. Floods, a pool at a relative's house, a lake trip. You never know when you'll be near water, and a girl who can swim won't panic. It's also good exercise and easy on the knees, which my mother keeps telling me. I started learning at 30 and I still swallow half the pool every time. So my request to parents is small. Enrol your daughters around 10 if you can. Start early, while they're still too young to feel shy about the water or the mat. Fees worried me too, so ask about a trial class before you commit to anything. I'd rather a girl learn this at 12 than wish she had at 25. If your daughter has taken these classes, tell me how it went for her. Did she stick with it or quit after a month? Which coach was good? I'm collecting names before I message anyone, so even a short answer helps. Weekend batches in Hyderabad seem easiest, since school days are already packed.

Replying to myself, but I forgot one thing. Whichever class you pick, visit it once without your child. Check that the coach talks to the kids politely and that there are other girls in the batch.

I'd add swimming to the top of the list. Our building has a pool that nobody under 12 is allowed in. Most kids in our lane have never been in a pool, so a short course would help a lot. Fees worry people. Ask for a trial class first, and watch one session before paying. Choose a trainer who has patience. A scared 10 year old needs patience more than speed.

My sister did a karate course for 6 months in college and her walk changed, I'm not exaggerating. She stands straighter and she looks people in the eye now.

If every girl learns karate, where does that leave us husbands? Please have some mercy on the rest of us. I'm joking, mostly. My niece joined a swimming class last summer and now she lectures me on my stroke. Self defence is useful for anyone, boy or girl. Same with swimming. Start early like the post says. My niece was 9 and had no fear at all.