By now we’ve all heard about the bullying epidemic in our schools and communities, but one segment of the population tends to get overlooked when discussing these issues. In a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the biggest predictor of depression symptoms in special needs children was being bulled or feeling left out by […]
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Everyone needs some motivation from time to time and when it comes to getting a child to do something, it can be difficult to say the least. Younger children don’t realize that what we try to get them to do is actually in their best interests and by the time they hit adolescence, they have […]
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I did not know I had ADHD when I was in high school. Sure I was one of the more easily distracted kids at my high school and I eschewed organization, but I never even considered that I had a neurobehavioral disorder. Once I got to college and faced increased responsibility however, I could no […]
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Although we sometimes talk about confidence as something that a person “has,” confidence actually involves a very specific set of behaviors. Identifying these traits as desirable is the first step. Children need a clear set of expectations that they understand are important and know they must follow. To help them recognize the importance of the […]
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Learning how to get along with other people, developing what we call social skills, is necessary in order to become a functioning member of a family, a peer group or a classroom. This involves a process of trial and error that teaches our children to distinguish between self and others and to become aware of […]
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Children who are quiet and unassertive find it difficult to interact with both peers and adults. They can find themselves overlooked in both school and social settings. To “break out of their shells,” they must learn to build friendships and gain leadership skills – both essential qualities for personal development. If your child is shy, […]
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Is your child hesitant to try new things? Children can view new experiences as exciting challenges – or as insurmountable barriers. It’s all in the attitude. The fear of failure is a powerful deterrent to trying new things and gaining new skills. It contributes to feelings of low self-esteem. It is a negative barrier that […]
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What does it mean to grow strong character? In general, the term character, as applied to a person, is represented by the values and qualities that make us who we are, that shape our attitudes and behaviors. So, when we say that someone has a strong character, we mean that they are demonstrating some combination […]
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It is our experience in our martial arts schools that when we start to build a child’s confidence, his or her self-assuredness builds and gains momentum. The best way to start your child on this path upward is to start by giving him or her small, relatively attainable goals. For example, in the beginning, we […]
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How do you describe confidence? There are some definite physical qualities involved in projecting the look of confidence. These qualities include: * Great posture * Good eye contact * A loud and clear voice Eye contact: In our martial arts classes we demand that our students look us in the eye when we are talking […]
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A child with good self confidence is easy to spot in a crowd. He or she possesses a bright, engaging smile and a positive attitude. Effortlessly, this child makes friends and accepts leadership opportunities. Timid and shy children, however, are too often relegated to the sidelines. For these children, the problems start small, a child […]
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Why do some children shy away from participating in activities? It’s certainly not because they lack the ability to kick a ball or skills to raise their hand in class. Shyness and a lack of self confidence force children onto the sidelines and away from the action. Children who fail to participate in activities do […]
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