Wow, over a year since my last post. Well I should tell you there is a very good reason for that. The IVF finally worked and we are now a family.
Obviously I took some time away from the mat. I still helped teach kids up until I was about 6 months pregnant but didn't actually train as I felt it was too much of a risk to take.
Anyway, I've been back for a few months and am slowly regaining my fitness. Boy does pregnancy change things. I've noticed although we have two new adult women who have moved from other clubs, we have not kept any girls in our kids class. We have moved to a new location and had new students join, just not girls.
I have found out, as I suspected all along that as we have a class of boisterous boys this can put some girls off. I'm well used to new girls supergluing themselves to my Gi leg, but can't help feeling that as a club we could do more to encourage and keep girls.
So speaking to other mums at various baby groups I found that many new mums find getting the time and confidence to exercise difficult. I also found that there are no martial art clubs offering ladies only classes. As a club we have been asked to provide ladies only classes in the past. But as an instructor I have shied away from providing such a class before since I felt that if Aikido was supposed to be a martial art where women can compete equally with men, then a ladies only class would defeat this principle.
However since having my wee beastie things have changed. Coming back to Aikido was extremely hard and I nearly didn't continue. It was hard as I was still recovering from some complications during birth and delivery so perhaps that was the reason. But if I felt that way - then surely other women mums or not must feel the same way?
I posted on social media for interest and I have potentially 30 ladies, some bringing sisters, others teenage daughters- all wanting to come. Well at least to my 'Come and Try' session anyway. In the past we have never generated this much interest. Maybe because I spoke as a woman and a mum and not through a club poster or flyer. Well watch this space...
