Should I Sign up my Daughter or Son in Karate?
Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010
by Kyle Keniston
KarateMart
With the launch of the new Karate Kid film a couple of weeks ago, a lot of people are questioning whether they should enroll their young child in a karate class. If you or your kid has never joined a martial arts school in the past, it could be a scary decision that comes with a number of questions.
The main worry amongst the majority of parents is if their kid is going to be safe when training with other kids. That is a very legitimate concern, because quite a few of the martial arts require some contact with other children when practicing self-defense techniques, throws, or sparring. Nonetheless, most teachers request help from assistant instructors in children's classes to try to prevent injuries from occurring. Aside from that, most dojos implement a minimum age requirement for sparring and other techniques that involve contact between students. The very best advice I can provide you with would be to watch your child take at least one introductory class prior to joining any karate class. You'll be able to tell right away whether or not your child is comfortable in the dojo by his or her body language when interacting with other children and the teachers. In many cities, you can find quite a few schools to choose from, so you will likely want to check out a few before enrolling in any school.
As a whole, the benefits to putting your boy or girl in a martial arts school outweigh the cons. Most Senseis place a heavy emphasis on discipline and respect for authority, which can be truly valued traits for your kid to learn about during their impressionable childhood. In many dojos, children are conditioned that unwanted activities like drug use, fighting, and bad language are intolerable and will result in being removed from upcoming lessons.
With a staggering 64% of Americans overweight, kids can greatly benefit from keeping active in a healthy sport like Taekwondo or Karate. Many martial arts provide a high amount of exercise for their members, and by teaching your children the delight of physical activity at a young age, they have a significantly better chance of evolving into healthy adults. As they develop and get in better shape, children have a tendency to see an increase in self-esteem, which can make a considerable difference in other facets of his or her life.
Possibly the best advantage of signing up your boy or girl in karate is that he or she will uncover a new set of skills designed to help them defend themselves if attacked. While fighting is looked down on in most karate schools, self-defense techniques are a common aspect of the program. Instructors attempt to train students to defend themselves in predicaments where they are being bullied or are in physical danger. As a parent, chances are you'll sleep better at night knowing that your kid is not defenseless in the event of a kidnapping attempt.
After reading this, if you are still hesitant to sign up your boy or girl in a dojo, you might possibly want to contemplate taking a class with your kid to get rid of any concerns you may have. I think you will very quickly discover that there is little to worry about.
As a dad and Kung Fu student, article writer Kyle Keniston is now the manager of a martial arts supplies corporation known as KarateMart. You may check out his internet site at http://www.KarateMart.com
This Article has been viewed 294 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)I love your suggestion of parents taking a class with their child. What better way to really understand the benefits, and the child's experience?
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.