Our kids Tae Kwon-Do program works with children who have been diagnosed with, or combination of, ADD, ADHD, Asperger, and Tourette’s. Tae Kwon-Do training helps these children by providing growth and development in three main areas: Focus & Discipline, Goal Setting, and Building Confidence.
Focus & Discipline
In my opinion, too many parents are self-diagnosing their child with ADHD when the child doesn’t have it. I’m not a doctor (and don’t claim to be one), but I have a masters in education and have worked with children for over 30 years. All too often (especially with boys) I see an unfocused child acting out and being a knucklehead. When these children take my class, I will teach them to focus.
Yet, I do know when children truly do have a disorder. I work with these children as well because Tae Kwon-Do helps them gain control over their condition.
The program allows the children to be structured and disciplined. It gives them a chance to settle down. Our classroom doesn’t offer a million distractions which helps the children keep their focus. It’s the experience of being in the class with one another. The children “feel” what it’s like to be focused and are able to build the discipline needed to work towards that feeling.
Goal Setting
Tae Kwon-Do is designed around goal setting which is an important value for any child to learn. And like any goal, one must know The Why behind the goal before they can achieve the goal.
In Tae Kwon-Do, an obvious goal is to earn your black belt. Not only do we help the children figure out why they want a black belt, but we help them discover the reason behind their desire to get a black belt. When your child has a purpose behind their goal, it helps him or her get through the challenging times of their training.
Goals are achieved through small steps. Much like a ladder, you take one step at a time until you get to the top. Each step in our program provides the child with a sense of accomplishment. This builds their discipline which in turn helps them focus.
Building Confidence
Confidence is built upon accomplishing your goals. Like water extinguishes fire, Tae Kwon-Do eliminates low self-esteem.
One of my students was a little boy who suffered from Tourette’s. The uncontrollable yelling and screaming caused him embarrassment. His confidence was low. Our school provided a safe place for him because our students are trained to focus and not be distracted. This boy immediately felt at ease, accomplished his goals, and not surprisingly, built his confidence up.
Tae Kwon-Do embraces the mind, body, and spirit to all work fluidly together. Children who suffer from ADHD and other disorders, learn to gain control over their condition, develop a discipline to focus, set and accomplish goals, all the while building confidence. These are the traits of successful people in life.
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!
