Childrens Martial Arts

A subject such as childrens martial arts (you may add an ' to children if you need to - I've left it out here and there for a reason :), usually gets one of three responses along the lines of - 1. "I love it, my son is so much more focused now", or 2. "No, I tried it, but it wasn't the right thing for my daughter", or 3. "Martial arts for kids? Isn't that just being taught how to be more violent?"

Any objection or concern you as a parent may have towards childrens martial arts is fully understandable and to be appreciated; after all your son or daughter are being taught - or will be most likely be taught - skills that may indeed inflict pain and harm.

The non-violent answer:

When all someone sees or encounters is violence - then violence is all there is to be found! In common language: The objective of the fighting arts - if done, seen and taught as proper martial arts - is to restrain violence and refrain from violence whenever possible.

This is the single biggest paradox within our arts - the thing that often times causes a lot of confusion distress and arguments. In particular this goes for parents looking into martial arts for their child.

In essence you may think of it this way - in a proper and suitable martial arts school for kids, the punches (and kicks, rolls, flips, escapes, throws, holds and what have you not...) are simply tools to something else: Control, empathy and better self-esteem.

So the question is not as much the punches in itself - but more what comes "bundled" with the punch. It is all in the things that is hidden beneath the surface of any given technique that counts.

After all, kids will be able to pick up on how to punch, kick, grapple and fight from a variety of sources anyhow. The only difference is that these other sources (friends, TV, video games, Internet, cell phones, playground fights, books etc.), most likely will leave out something of the utmost importance: Putting the use of such force into a context of choices, alternative reactions, responsibility and consequences. And this is what (proper) childrens martial arts are all about!

From martial skills to social skills:

In a suitable (read: real) martial arts class for kids the techniques being taught are only a small part of the bigger picture - even though the things being presented typically will be tightly selected and monitored to fit the subject at hand.

I like to call the subject of a child learning martial arts this way for 'Direct Empathy'. The child will learn that some things hurt; some things you do will hurt someone else. So, it's a matter of finding and honing the alternatives, as well as spending time to discuss how it feels to hurt and be hurt (not always in a physical sense). And why is this effective? Because the child can relate it to what happens right here and right now - it's not some sort of distant theory!

And that's not all ...:

(As the person at mall's sales booth will say :) Any teacher worth his or her salt will make sure they are good, positive role models for the kids, and spend an amount of time talking about the importance of doing your homework, watching your language, being positive and eating properly (amongst other things).

And furthermore - it's inherent in the way that childrens martial arts are typically being taught, that the child will gradually be "tuned in" to concentrate and focus. This alone is the reason why so many kids will do better at school if they stay within the martial arts over time.

Is it all fun, games and "roses" then?:

If only... There's a flip side to everything I guess, and we will discuss that later on. So stay tuned for more on childrens martial arts!

Don't forget to pay a visit at my Squidoo page ("lense") about the subject of budo for kids: Childrens martial arts! I would definitely appreciate you dropping by! And if/when you do - please feel free to leave a comment or cast a vote!

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