CARY, N.C. -- The Godfrey family lives by the motto, “a family who kicks together, sticks together.”

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“There are very few sports where the parents can be on the same level as their kids,” Daniel Godfrey, father, said.

 

All four members of the family are training for their Tae Kwon Do black belt. They said it’s more than a sport. Tae Kwon Do is a unique bonding experience for the whole family.

“This is something we truly shared as a family and worked toward together. It’s just fun,” Janice Godfrey, mother, said.

 

They are all on the same level at this point, but they agree they’ve come a long way since January of 2006.

 

 “It feels accomplished. If you broke your first board and you hear the applause. You’re so happy,” Hannah Godfrey said.

 

Ten-year-old Hannah and 13- year-old Sarah said Tae Kwon Do offers them time dedicated to their family and also helped them develop physically and mentally.

“It helps me in school in terms of concentration and focus,” Sarah Godfrey said.

 

Tae Kwon Do has not only made the family closer and given them a skill that could never been taken away, but the family said it also improved their confidence.

 

“What Tae Kwon Do teaches is to be aware of your surroundings and how to distinguish a bad situation from a good situation and if you find yourself in a bad situation, how to diffuse it in the best way possible,” Janice Godfrey said.

 

The black belt testing day for the family is on May 17. The girls’ parents say they all have benefited from Tae Kwon Do in many ways, but there is still one more reason to love the sport.

“I’m just glad the girls will be black belts before they start dating,” Janice Godfrey said.