01/25/2026
Hot take.
The adults who sit around debating whether a 9 year old “deserves” a black belt are usually the same people who are stalled out in their own lives.
Grown adults, burning mental energy policing the progress of children that aren’t theirs is absurd. Kids who show up, train hard, listen, improve, and are guided by qualified instructors who actually know them.
Asserting that a child should never earn a blackbelt is not a standard.
Thats insecurity in disguise.
If a child’s belt rank bothers you more than your own lack of progress, fitness, discipline, or purpose, the problem isn’t the Dojo or the kid.
It’s you.
Black belts for children aren’t about ego or domination. They’re about confidence, commitment, consistency, and growth at an age when quitting is easy and distraction is everywhere.
Instead of obsessing over what a 9 year old is “allowed” to earn, maybe ask yourself why their progress triggers you.
Focus on your own training.
Your own growth.
Your own life.
Leave the kids alone.
