Good Reasons to Keep Your Child Training in the Martial Arts
by Joseph Galea & Bert Casiano (NAPMA)
 

There are many reasons to enroll your children and keep them training in the martial arts. Martial art builds self-confidence and teaches discipline which will provide a solid foundation from which your children will develop strong character. While studying the martial arts is fun, children will be learning important lessons in values and respect that will shape how they view the world around them. And even though we teach to avoid confrontations, if the need arises, your children can be secure in their knowledge of how to defend them from physical harm. This is the power derived from the martial arts.
Martial art builds self-confidence.
It is a physical and demanding “sport.” Children who participate and progress in the martial arts will develop a positive attitude that they can take with them to help accomplish other important tasks and face other challenges in their lives. Our school is dedicated to making your children feel accepted as well as motivated.
We focus on providing children with a positive atmosphere where they can build their confidence, even after a bad day at school or playing a sport. It’s a place where they’ll find support when they feel down or discouraged. We are ready and able to give your children the additional support to face life’s challenges and stay on the right path.
In addition to the structure you provide at home, martial art also provides your child with discipline. This involves coming to class on time and following school rules and policy. It also concerns learning to respect themselves and others, which is an important
goal that we strive to instill in our students. We teach children not to feel that they can’t complete a task because it’s too hard or because they’ve failed the first time. Instead we teach them to relax, regroup and give a100-percent effort again. The discipline
that they learn helps them to stay focused and work hard to accomplish their goals.
Martial arts is a tool that can help your children in other sports, as well as keeping them in shape and healthy. Many drills that we practice enhance skills they will need in other extracurricular activities.
For example, proper balance and hand-eye coordination are skills that are essential in sports such as baseball, football, gymnastics and soccer.
Martial arts training can give your children the competitive edge.
Knowing that they can defend themselves if a problem arises is another benefit that your children derive from martial arts training. Martial arts does not just teach kids how to defend themselves physically, but more importantly, how to avoid dangerous situations.
Avoiding the situation rather than being in a physical confrontation is an important concept that instructors teach both indirectly and directly.
Through the martial arts, your children will learn many valuable lessons that will help them throughout their lives and the best thing about it is that it’s fun. They may not even realize that they are learning all these “values.” It’s not only enjoyable for them learn new skills and watch them improve will fill you with pride.
Why stay on the sidelines? Martial art is an activity that you can do as a family. It’s a way of spending more quality time with your children, and that’s invaluable in today’s hectic world. Martial art is an art form that has existed for many centuries and is taught around the world today. Its teachings are inspiring and unique. The values and lessons of martial arts can assist your children in becoming better citizens and becoming better equipped to handle the many situations that they will face in their academic and personal lives.