How Martial Arts can help raise Happy kids
Everyone wants their children to go up happy and well adjusted. Many well-intentioned parents often try to foster happiness by giving their kids pleasurable experiences such as buying them more toys and video games.
Dr. Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., who is a noted child and adult psychiatrist. Coauthor of the bestseller "Driven to Distraction" and author of "The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness", Dr. Hallowell, States that what children really need is to learn how to create and sustain joy on their own.
Dr. Hallowell who is also an instructor at Harvard Medical School in Boston, outlines five topics kids need most to build a lifetime of self-esteem and confidence.
These five topics consist of:
Connections. Feeling rooted gives children a foundation of security. Children need acceptance and support from peers. Martial arts classes provide solid leadership and support from the teacher and support from fellow classmates as well as other parents. Bonds grow and life long friendships bloom.
Play. Make sure your child's free time isn't too programmed and regimented. Open-ended play, in which children can invent scenarios and solve problems by themselves, helps them discover their talents and use their own resources. Martial arts incorporates development of creativity through training drills, functional fitness, team building activities and group games that stimulate their creative minds as well as exercise their bodies.
Practice. When kids find out what they're good at, they'll want to do it again and again. But sometimes you may have to do some gentle nudging to ensure that your child sticks to an activity and experiences a sense of accomplishment. In martial arts, instructors use PCP. This is corrections via Praising effort, adjusting Corrections and Praising results. Parent and instructors learn to "team up and never give up" on students goals.
Mastery. From practice comes mastery. When children achieve a skill -- - they're further motivated to tackle new challenges. And that leads to a can-do attitude. Progress in martial arts involved continued goal setting and rewards of group praise and belt promotions.
Recognition. Approval and support from one's parents, teachers, and peers for a job well done reconnect children to the wider world. When kids think what they do affects their family, classmates, and team, they're more likely to exhibit moral behavior and, ultimately, to feel good about themselves.
Fortunately, one step leads naturally to the next and the cycle is self-perpetuated, explains Dr. Hallowell. You can lay the groundwork at an early age. Give your child these five key qualities, he says, and you will greatly increase their chances of leading a joyful, meaningful life.
Parents wanting to see how martial arts classes can help their child be happier should contact us to schedule a week of unlimited martial arts class for their child for just $19.99 or 3 months for just $375.
Just click the link below to register today.
Until next time be safe
Instructor Joe Chao
