How can Martial Arts help Children who have ADHD, may be Autistic, or have issues with social skills or anger issues?
Since children were forced to stay home during the Pandemic, we have seen a rise in behavioral concerns in children. Children were separted from their established routines and from their social contacts. These two things had an impact on many children.
Number one, consider this: Martial Arts schools are social places where children can make friends. They, in fact, may make friends that last a lifetime. Through the training and drills, children learn the skills they need to work cooperatively with a partner or within a Team. They build social skills through positive interaction.
By learning a drill, for example, your child will begin to develop his or her attention span in a positive way. Having a child demonstrate a technique or a Kata, encourages them to pay attention and learn the material so they can reproduce it correctly.
Secondly, if your child tends to have excess energy, the very act of training in Martial Arts will drain some of that energy which can lead to getting in trouble or being unable to concentrate. A child will get a good deal of exercise during their training which will help them achieve or maintain a healthy weight, healthy blood pressure and healthy blood glucose and insulin levels.
At Guererro's we spend a good deal of time teaching the concept of personal responsibility and how to learn to make good choices in life. The increased concentration, attention span and skills related to personal responsibility translate into better performance in school and better grades. Martial Arts instructors can be very effective mentors for your child, especially those that have been doing Martial Arts for many years. The instructor is an example of someone who does not quit what they start and who has developed a great deal of focus, personal responsibility and life skills.
How does all this come together for a child who may be struggling? The most important factors are choosing a Traditional Martial Arts school with experienced Instructors and lastly, providing parental support to the program and the Instructors. Your support can be manifested in many ways, such as: allowing the Instructors to be tough on your child when needed, and support for the program when your child wants to quit Karate. These two issues are where the parent can have a great impact on their child's success or failure. If your child wants to quit because of the discipline involved or because the program becomes difficult, your answer needs to be, "Get your Gi and your equipment and get ready to go to class." The option of quitting should be off the table. Children who are allowed to quit activities will find it difficult to keep a job or finish a College Degree if they are allowed to establish a habit of quitting.
Call us at Guerrero's Shotokan Karate: 816-224-4447 and find out how we can help you, your child and your entire family through a Traditional approach to Martial Arts Training.
Julie Haskins, Sensei 4th Degree Black Belt, Renshi
