Anyone else feeling the need to start kicking and punching things?
Six months of sheltering in place, uncertain when (or if) things will ever get back to normal is bound to send anyone’s stress level through the roof. With the various and inconsistent changes to how school is being done, it seems like our kids may be bearing the brunt of it.
Children need to be together. They learn a lot just being around one another, playing together. Even something as simple as organizing a pickup football game can have a huge effect on a child. It teaches leadership and teamwork.
Heck, for the kids picked last, it can even be a great lesson in humility and handling disappointment.
But now, many kids are forced to spend all day in front of a computer. Even those who are in school are often limited to when they can attend school and, while they’re there, they are still isolated from one another.
Separating people, forcing them into isolation, depriving them of routine is how prisoners of war are treated. What chance does a child have?
The answer? Tae Kwon-Do.
Enrolling in our school can provide your child with a lot of what they may be currently being deprived of.
- Routine: Having a regular class to look forward to can help reinstate some structure back into their daily lives.
- Socialization: Especially for those students who are still 100 % remote, coming to the dojang provides an opportunity to socialize with other kids. Safely, of course. We are still adhering to social distancing regulations, but we are also encouraging students to interact and, more importantly, openly discuss how they’re handling everything with people their age in the same boat.
Being social doesn’t just mean “being nice.” Being social means learning to deal with and interact with people who are different than you. Sometimes it’s fun, sometimes it is not. But, at least with Tae Kwon-Do, they’re getting the chance to see each other, talk to each other, have a friend, and have someone other than their parents to mentor, discipline, and listen to them.
- Exercise: I believe that decline in overall health is going to be a far-reaching effect of this pandemic, beyond any virus. People are rapidly unlearning healthy behaviors and worse, learning unhealthy ones. This makes regular exercise more important than ever. And we can provide that.
- Stress Relief: I think that each child handles situations like this in different ways. Tae Kwon-Do can provide them a blueprint for how to do that. Each will eventually develop their own unique way, but a good Tae Kwon-Do school provides the methodologies to more clearly define how best to do that for them.
- Tae Kwon-Do is Fun! Enough said.
The fact that I am in a position to help my students deal with this pandemic has been a real silver lining for me. It is a privilege to still be able to teach them and have a positive impact on their lives.
And, I can’t tell you how much joy it gives me to see them coming through the doors again, ready to learn.
It reminds me of our mantra: “Pil Sung!”
Certain victory through indomitable spirit and courage!
Master Gorino’s Tae Kwon-Do offers a trial program for individuals and families in Buffalo, NY and the surrounding areas that allows you to get a feel for the different classes, meet our instructors, and experience our dojang. It’s a great way to see if Tae Kwon-Do is right for you. To learn more or to sign up, register online or call (716) 836-KICK (5425) and a member of our team will follow up with you on next steps. We look forward to helping you achieve your goals. Pil-Sung!
