Many parents are interested in enrolling their children in martial arts classes or one-on-one training. However, they are not sure how the training will improve their child’s body and character. The truth is that this training can do a lot more for your child than you may realize. In addition to being a whole-body workout, martial arts can instill discipline, confidence, and self-esteem in your child.
If it’s one thing that the arts are known for, it’s structure and discipline. There is a complex set of rules that govern all of the behavior in the training. At first, your child may not necessarily agree with all of the rules that pertain. For instance, there is a set of rules that govern the master/disciple relationship. The disciple is required to be respectful in every way to the master.
These rules are not there for no reason. The student will learn that they can only derive the greatest benefit from the master if they behave in the most respectful way. This lesson about respect will transfer over to all of the relationships that are important in the student’s life.
This type of respect is key to your child’s safety and welfare in general. A lot of children get into trouble because they wish to rebel against their parents or disregard the valuable lessons that their parents teach them. Students learn through training that there is a real reason that they must obey their parents.
The other aspect of discipline that your child will learn from the arts is that they must set goals and incessantly train to achieve those goals. Only by intense training and delayed gratification will your child achieve the promotions in rank that exist in the system.
There is a high level of structure to the training that the students must undergo. Students learn that it is only through methodical technique and training that they will develop the skills that they need to. This type of structure will transfer over to everything that your child attempts to do in life. Whether it is studying or participating in a team sport, these skills will be important for success.
The martial arts are also well-known for building confidence and self-esteem in children. This is the case for a number of reasons.
What is the difference between confidence and self-esteem? The former is a certain security in the ability to perform a particular task. Self-esteem is a judgment of value and worth in oneself. The arts develop both of these.
When your child sees that as a result of their training and practice they achieve the ability to do certain things, they become confident in their general abilities. They not only think and feel that they can throw a good punch, but also they develop a general confident feeling.
The training that your child will receive will also have effects on their appearance. The arts build strength and tone all of the muscles of the body. Also, a child who trains in the arts develops a kind of graceful movement. Coordination improves and a certain balance is achieved in the body. This change in appearance and grace will make your child more confident in general. How we feel about our bodies transfers over to a general confident feeling.
Also, your child will develop a confident feeling because they will know that they can handle themselves in all kinds of confrontational situations. One the one hand, they are trained to be able to defend themselves physically against attackers and bullies. On the other hand, they are trained to defuse confrontational situations. This changes the whole attitude of your child to social interactions. They learn that it is better to avoid confrontations than to promote them.
The arts instill a sense of self-esteem through the code of respect that they use. Children learn to both respect themselves and everyone else who is worthy of respect.
This gives a sense of value and esteem to your child.
The arts are by their very nature social. Whether it is in classes or in one-on-one sessions, your child learns to interact socially in a positive way. If you have a child who is shy or uncomfortable in dealing with others, then the arts will give them the experience and esteem to be able to handle every kind of social situation.
In conclusion, when you sign up your child in training in the arts, you are making a decision to do much more than just physically condition your child. You are also initiating your child in a program that will mold their character in many positive ways.
Your child will become disciplined and confident and will enjoy improvements in their self-esteem that they never have before. They will learn things from the masters that will aid them in achieving success in every aspect of life.
