TK, as Char expected, returned from Christmas with his kids with them (and his ex) in tow. They returned on the 30th; we first heard from him yesterday, to ask me if I minded taking the dojang classes for a few more days while he finds them a place to live.

I mind, but I'm not telling him no. My involvement this week will mainly consist of having two or three of the black belt students teach while I work with the students who are testing at the end of this week. As long as TK is back in the dojang to sit on the testing panel, it's not that big a of a deal.

If he's not back, then it becomes a big deal. My kids are testing; I do not sit on black belt panels where my family could benefit (or be hurt) by my decisions. There will be two others on the panel with TK, Dack and the master instructor from an associate dojang. I'll conduct the testing (or torture the students, depending on their point of view) but I will not make any decisions. In TK's absence, there would be no one to break a tie.

He'll be there, though.

Test days are typically a non-event, because most of the students testing are going for gold, green, blue, or red belt, and there are few of them. No panel is required. Whoever is testing them runs them through their paces and decides (though we usually know beforehand who will pass and who will struggle; it's pointless to schedule someone to test when you know they aren't ready.)

This test day will be more of an event; aside from the color-belted students testing, we have 4 going for their 1st degree black belt, one for 2nd, and one for 3rd. Of those six, half of them are my kids. I'm still not on board with the idea of allowing a ten year old to test for black belt, but under TK's new rules, Kevin is eligible and he has the physical skills to pass.

That half of them are my kids doesn't mean I won't torture them. We know they have the abilities; the test is to push them hard and see if they suck it up and push back. I don't expect perfection, but the students who gut it out and give it their best even when they don't feel like they can move one more inch are the ones most likely to pass. I know Kevin and Rachel have the abilities they need; I think they'll do just fine with the demands of the test, but I've been surprised during black belt testing before. I have no doubts about Alex getting through to second degree.

Char is concerned that they'll be distracted by the presence of TK's kids; they'll probably be there (he's got them living with him right now, I can't blame him if he drags them everywhere for a while) and our kids miss his. I hate to say it, but they'll pass or not on their own merits and it's not TK's fault if they are distracted.

After the testing is over, I think my involvement with the dojang will become minimal. The kids have too many other things going on now and all want to pull back. Char won't be able to even think about training and teaching again for several months, and the longer she's away from it the less compelled she feels to do it. And at some point I really should get a job, just so my kids don't start to think that unemployment is a life goal.

Or I'll send Char off to work. I could be a stay at home dad.