A parent’s job is to raise their child to become a good adult. An outstanding adult. Tae Kwon-Do instills the core values every person should live by. Here are seven reasons why I believe children should practice martial arts.
1. Discipline
Children need discipline. All children want discipline, they just may not know it. Discipline comes in two forms, it’s either imposed or it develops into self-discipline. Imposed discipline is when the parent punishes a child for not cleaning their room. Self-discipline is created when the parent praises the child for cleaning their room before the parent asks them to. Through self-discipline we create good habits, which is the most important thing in life to become successful.
2. Focus
Kids today are bombarded with a million different messages from all directions. It’s sensory overload! You go to your phone to make a call but notice there’s a message to check this thing out on Facebook. Next thing you know you’re following three different threads, an hour has gone by, and you’ve completely forgotten who you wanted to call in the first place. Tae Kwon-Do will train your child to focus.
3. Clear Mind
The mind becomes cluttered without discipline and focus, and children need a clear mind to develop their studies, sports, musical instruments, etc. The bombardment of different inputs makes it hard to excel at anything.
4. Setting Goals
Martial arts teaches children to set goals and how to achieve those goals through a plan of action. A good Black Belt will teach how to follow that plan and show the child how to navigate through the ups and downs. Life is not one straight shot to being successful at everything you do. There are disappointments along the way, and martial arts teaches how to deal with the struggles of everyday life.
5. Life
You have to stick to it. Last week you got an “A” on a test, today you got a “D”. Last year you made the baseball team, this year you were cut. Yesterday you felt great, today you don’t. Tae Kwon-Do teaches you how to stick through it all, good times and bad.
6. Self Confidence
Children who study martial arts are not average. We teach them to excel and to keep raising the bar. We believe in healthy competition, how to win, and how to deal with losing. When I was a kid I was a compulsive winner. It didn’t matter what it was, if I couldn’t win I would practice until I could. It was in martial arts where I met people I couldn’t beat. I never stopped trying, but there were individuals far better than me and I had to learn how to handle that.
7. Compassion
We believe in taking care of those who are not as strong as us. To not bully. To avoid the fight. We’re all different and Tae Kwon-Do teaches not to judge based upon our capabilities. We all have strengths and weaknesses. No matter who or what you are, we’re all part of the martial arts family. I truly believe Tae Kwon-Do fosters the core values children need in order to become outstanding adults.
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!
