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How Martial Arts Will Prepare Your Child For School Success This Year

Sometimes, children come home from school with grades that you need to worry about and it can be difficult to address. Bad grades can be due to various reasons and dealing with it is an important and tricky matter. Some children may have a hard time focusing in class, others are just lazy, while some just really have trouble learning. The struggle is real!

One thing is for sure, parents need to work with their children in order to improve this. We can’t just tell the children to study harder without giving them the adequate help they need. Schedule a meeting with their teacher/s and discuss the problem and the different ways you can help your child do better in school.
One proven way that can help improve their performance in school is by getting them into martial arts. Many people do not know that the skills and training children get from martial arts can apply to school work as well. Most of them actually show improved study habits and overall performance within a few months. Read on to learn why:

Positive Role Models. As they go through their martial arts training, the children will always be surrounded by role models who constantly show and teach them many different positive values aside from the standard martial arts skills training. These are necessary as they go hand in hand to be able to successfully learn proper martial arts. The teachers empower children to be their best and give them the necessary support and encouragement every time. The boost in their self-esteem and encouragement they get regularly get from their martials teacher will subconsciously carry on even in their school work.

Physical Fitness. It is pretty hard to do anything well if you are not in tip top shape. You don’t feel confident and hardly have the energy needed to accomplish tasks. Once they start training in martial arts, the children are constantly reminded to eat healthy, keep fit and exercise regularly even outside the dojang. Once they are able to feel healthier and better about themselves, they will also start performing better in school and their grades will no doubt improve.

A High Energy, Exciting Environment. As children these days are accustomed to playing with gadgets and online games, they lack regular interaction. Being part of a high energy and exciting environment found in dojangs will be beneficial as this is basically be the same environment in school. They will be able to apply the friendly competition in martial arts to their school activities as well.
Regular Incentives for Effort and Achievement. In the same breath, the rewards system given in martial arts wherein deserving students get a new colored belt every 3 months is similar to that in school. When they get a certain grade, the children receive certificates or medals at the end of each grading period. They also receive feedback and recognition on a regular basis from their teachers. As parents we should also recognize our children’s efforts and achievements, not just in school or in the dojang, but also at home when they do their chores or when they simply exhibit good behavior. Consider giving them rewards at home as well to motivate them to do better and it does not have to be anything material or expensive. Also, hearing words of affirmation, such as “You did a great Job!”, “You make me smile”, “Thanks for being such a hard worker”, or “Wow! You’re fast!” from their parents or teachers can help boost their self-esteem and encourage them to do even better next time.

A Proven System of Skill Development. The discipline required from martial arts students will carry on outside the dojang. It will be instilled in the, so deeply that the children will be able to apply this in everything they do. They will understand the importance of setting and following a schedule for their homework and other activities. They will learn to focus and exert their best in everything they do. They will be taught complete each task properly and never half heartedly. They will see that hard work is necessary to achieve great things and that excuses will not get them anywhere. Realistic goal setting also comes into play here, they will have to do their best if they want to get certain results.

By now, you can already tell that martial arts can help children in so many ways. They will prepare children to face the different challenges that they will inevitably go through in life. They will exhibit the virtues and social skills they develop through regular training long after they graduate and they will thank you for it. Let martial arts be one of your partners in raising your children to be strong, smart, healthy and well-rounded individuals.