“Will martial arts make my kid violent?”
Absolutely not! We don't teach kids how to kick and punch so they can go down the street and beat up the neighbor's kid. Instead, we teach kids self-defense as a tool for personal growth and development. Kids learn to treat others as they want to be treated. They learn to respect all living things – from their parents to pets. Often, kids who were violent
before they joined our class changed, and became non-violent. So no, martial arts won't make your child violent!
“What if my child's not athletic? Will he have a hard time?”
Often children who don't find success in team sports come to martial arts. That's because with martial arts you go at your own pace. See, team sports actually harm the self-esteem of children who aren't very athletic. When they don't perform well, the other kids can be pretty nasty. And this can leave some serious scars on their self-esteem. But with martial arts, they can't let anyone down. Everyone goes at their own pace. Some kids learn quicker than others – but the children who advance quickly are not valued more than the kids who advance slowly. Everyone is greatly encouraged – regardless of his or her athletic level.
“Will my child learn a talent that they can be proud of?”
Many children find pride in being able to do “cool” things like dancing, juggling, singing, playing an instrument, etc., etc., etc. I've seen many kids enter talent shows, and show off their martial arts skills. The crowd is blown away every time! There's simply something fascinating and exciting about watching martial arts. And your child will take great pride in his abilities.
“What age is appropriate for martial arts?”
We have programs for kids who are 3 years old all the way to teenagers. And we even have programs for adults. So to be honest – every age is appropriate. No child is too young or too old. We have a class that fits just right.
“Will my child get hurt?”
I've had children come to my program for years without ever obtaining a single injury. This is actually the case with most children. Have children gotten injured in my martial arts class? Yes, some have. But the injuries were no different than those which kids who play baseball and other sports get. In the words of a parent I recently spoke with, “The instructors pay attention to detail when it comes to safety.”
From padded floors, to proper gear, to step-by- step instruction – we do everything in our power to insure your child's safety. I can't guarantee your child won't be injured – but I can tell you that almost no children receive injuries in my program. And that's because we take your child's safety very seriously.
“Will my child have fun? Will he want to stick with the program?”
When parents take their kids to appointments – normally the parent has to run around and do everything in their power to get their children to the appointment on time.
“Hurry up!” they shout, “We'll be late!” (How many times have you said this?)
But with martial arts, something fascinating happens… Often the children are the ones yelling these things! They don't want to be late, and they never want to miss a class. In fact, I know of many parents who use martial arts as an incentive to get chores done. If the kids are good, do their chores, and do their homework – they get martial arts as a reward. That's because your child will have a ton of fun. He'll be laughing and smiling throughout the entire class. And because He'll constantly be setting and reaching goals – He'll want to stick with the program. It will become a part of his life as if it was always there.
“Is martial arts just for boys? Or can my girl take martial arts too?”
On this page I've said “he” a lot. But the truth is, there are just as many girls in many of our classes as there are boys. Girls love martial arts just as much, and get the same fulfillment out of it as boys do. Also, if I've learned anything in my years of teaching, its that girls are just as tough as boys. Many are even tougher! So you don't have to worry about your little girl getting hurt, or feeling scared because she'll be practicing with boys. In fact, the boys may even be the ones who are scared.
