Parent's Guide - F.A.Q. on Bullying

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• Do you teach kids that violence is the answer?
  
• What age should my child begin martial arts?
  
• How can I prepare my child for martial arts early?
  

Do you teach kids that violence is the answer?

Absolutely not. We do not condone violence unless absolutely necessary. As a matter of fact, this is one of the reasons we do not teach martial arts to younger children. They lack the self-control to know when to use their martial arts and when not to. Our program teaches kids a variety of conflict resolution skills and through learning self-defense skills, they gain more confidence and carry themselves differently. This usually removes them as a target to the bully. See our Chief Instructors articles on Bullying for more information.

What age should my child begin martial arts?

In our professional training and experience, a child is ready for martial arts between the ages of 7 and 9 years old. Many children express interest prior to this age, while we understand parents wish to fulfill their children's desires, we strongly recommend waiting until they're a little older and you'll be happier with the results.

Here are a few reasons why we encourage you to wait. Children under the age of 8 in many cases:

1. Lack the CAUSE/EFFECT understanding, e.g., if I hit this person, it causes this pain or injury.

2. Still have limited self-control.

3. Have short attention spans, difficulty standing still, and are not ready to focus on lengthy tasks.

4. Are still developing gross motor skills. Fine motor skill development (used heavily in martial arts) takes place roughly at age 9 and up.

5. Struggle with following complex instructions.

6. And lastly, all too often - young children (3 to 6) quit before an age where they can absorb and really learn martial arts.

How can I prepare my child for martial arts early?

There are exceptions to any rule and some children mature faster than others. You may apply to have your child tested between the age of 7 to 9 to see if they qualify for our program. If your child is not old enough then we recommend enrolling them in a simple exercise program that builds motor function skills such as: swimming, dance, or gymnastics. For mental development we highly recommend your child study a musical instrument to assist in their instruction following skills.