On a sunny day, Jip gets fight in the schoolyard with a little boy by the swing. “He doesn't want to get off,” Jip says angrily to Joanna. Before Janneke can say anything, the school bell rings. “Time to go inside,” she says.

In class, the teacher talks about a special lesson. “Tim will give a talk on Aikido, and then we get a special gym class by sensei Edo and Anne,” she says.

Aikido talk

Tim starts his talk enthusiastically about Aikido. “It is a Japanese martial art formerly practised by samurais was done, and that there are no matches in the Aikido because it is not a martial art, but is instead about peace.” he says. “Morihei Ueshiba, the creator, thought collaboration was very important.” After Tim's talk, everyone claps. “Quickly change clothes, we are going to the gym!” shouts the teacher.

There is a large mat in the gymnasium. “Look, a dojo,” says Tim. Sensei Edo and Anne are already standing by. “Let's start with greetings, it's polite.” They bow nicely to each other and begin.

The lesson is exciting. They learn that when you fall, you have to roll. ‘You have to put your chin on your chest,’ says Tim. Then you become round as a ball and fall finer. He also teaches how to grab someone by their arm and put them on the ground without hurting. You don't even have to be strong for it. 

“Look,” says sensei Anne with a smile, “when we argue, we only think about what we want for ourselves. But it's important to also think about what the other person wants.” Jip and Janneke listen attentively. “In Aikido, you learn to put yourself in the other person's shoes. Then you see things differently and are less likely to get into arguments.” Jip thinks about the little boy on the swing. “Could I have done it differently?” he wonders.

Wise aikido lessons

“Listen carefully,” says sensei Edo in a calm tone. “The very strongest power you have is called ‘Ki’ in Japanese. That is your inner strength.” The children watch curiously. “If you sit still and breathe deeply, you find that strength naturally,” he explains. “Sometimes, when you do something exciting or don't like something, you hold your breath. That is the moment to stay calm and breathe well. Then this power will come out naturally. The children try it. Jip feels calm and strong. “This is crazy,” he whispers to Joanna. “I feel really calm.”

After the lesson, they thank sensei Edo and Anne. “Thanks for the Aikido lesson,” says Jip. “We learned a lot,” adds Janneke.

Aikido in the playground

After school, Jip runs to the swing, but the little boy is already there. Jip remembers the Aikido lesson. He asks quietly, “Why do you want to swing all the time?” The little boy explains that he does not have a swing at home. “Shall we do a long jump competition,” Jip suggests.

Joanna watches anxiously as Jip and the little boy have a swing game. She sees Jip flying through the air, but before he falls, he quickly puts his chin to his chest and rolls through the grass. “That was close,” says Joanna.

At home, they tell their mother about Aikido. “We learned to keep peace and defend ourselves without hurting,” says Jip. Mother smiles. “What a great lesson. Perhaps everyone should learn Aikido,” she says. Jip and Janneke laugh. “That would be fun!”

And so ends the ‘Aikido in Jip and Janneke language’ story.