- The other Dad responds:

“Well, I have a confession to make:

I don’t pay for my son to "fight" Jiu-Jitsu.”

- The first Dad replies:

"Then, if you don’t pay for him to "fight," what are you paying for?"

“Well,” responds the athlete’s father, I pay for those moments when my son is so tired and exhausted that he feels like he wants to quit but doesn’t.

I pay for him to learn to persevere through adversity.

I pay for the opportunity that my son has to build long-lasting friendships. I pay for the chance that he has to be surrounded by positive role models who will teach him not only Jiu-Jitsu and Self-Defense on the mats but also about the fight of life.

I also pay for my son to learn to be more disciplined. I pay so my son learns to respect and take care of his body. To understand that without eating properly, his body cannot perform well.

I pay so my son learns to work in a group setting and be a proud, gentle, and respectful member of the team, so when he’s an adult, he can respect members of society.

I pay so my son learns to deal with disappointment. So when he doesn’t win or misses a move, despite having practiced thousands of times, he still lifts his head high and stays determined to do better the next time.

I pay for my son to "fight" Jiu-Jitsu so he learns to set and achieve goals. I pay for him to realize that it takes hours of hard work, practice, and dedication, to build a champion and that success doesn’t happen overnight.

I pay so my son can be on the mat instead of being involved in doing wrong things.

I could go on and on, but to be brief, I don’t pay for him to “fight" Jiu-Jitsu. I pay for the opportunities that this activity provides for my son to develop attributes that will serve him for the rest of his life.

Attributes that will also allow him to bless the lives of others who come in touch with him.

The way I see it, I’m investing in my son’s life. And this is what I can leave for him and society."