Is Martial Arts Right for Your Child?
Every parent wonders what their child will one day grow up to be. And while each milestone of early life brings that picture into clearer view, it can also bring a rite of passage; a first day of school might also introduce a child to their first bully, just as going on their first job interview as a young adult might introduce them to the rejection felt in the real world. Each of these challenges, both in the way our children prepare and respond to them, influence everything about our children from the way they view others and their surroundings, to the bigger picture of the world as a whole.
Challenges, and their outcomes, define us.
Luckily, Martial Arts is one of the remaining traditional practices that can help arm our youth with the skills and character to take on life in a positive way, and while most people immediately associate the Martial Arts practice with fighting, the truth is that what practitioners gain far more of is a slew of character building qualities, such as:
- Physical
- Self Defense, Athletic Performance, Anti-Bullying, Health
- Mental
- Confidence, Indomitable Spirit, Discipline, Manners, Kindness, Focus, Sportsmanship, Humility, Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, and more!
All of which are slowly, but surely, being lost in our children as they grow up in a “connected” generation. Smartphones and connected entertainment devices limit our children to false digital environments; keeping them on the couch and curtailing their social, athletic, and personal development. But it doesn’t have to be such a strict choice. While Martial Arts offer physical and mental progress that the digital age lacks, more and more facilities have begun to implement technologies that provide information and feedback on students’ performance in a format they find appealing and engaging.
From Taekwondo’s current use of a scoring technology which tracks contact made by an opponent, to future technologies such as 20/20 Armor which measures impact and turns training into a video game; these technologies aim to grow the excitement and accessibility that Martial Arts had previously lacked. This acceptance of technology won’t encourage your children to sit on the couch, but rather excite them to keep practicing, try harder, and beat their own high scores. The learning and development in class becomes tangible and trackable, while giving them a social outlet and providing them a team based atmosphere.
As they see their growth in their skills and techniques, so too will they be benefiting from the class lessons aimed to structure their mental and physical characteristics, so that through each milestone of your child’s life, they will have a practical foundation for them to grow into the adult you always hoped they would be.
Find a local club and inquire to see if Martial Arts can give your child what they deserve.
Master Tony Kook
Owner of 5 Martial Art Clubs with over 35 years experience and 1,200 students
