You might think that kids want to learn martial arts because of the latest Jackie Chan movie they’ve seen. Or perhaps you saw them watching an old time favorite like the Karate Kid or a Bruce Lee flick. I believe, however, that children of the new millennium are more sophisticated than those from the 80’s and 90’s. Today’s kids want to train for many of the same reasons that their parents want them to train… to develop discipline, confidence, focus, patience, self-control and respect.
The environment that children face today is very different from what the last generation experienced only 15 years ago, and likewise that period was different from 15 years prior, and so on. These environmental changes have created a trend where children are forced to mature faster, take on more responsibility, and to make adult-like decisions years earlier than in previous generations. It is easy to see why martial arts benefits, such as self-discipline and personal confidence are appealing to the modern child. Children want structure in their lives; it gives them a feeling of self-control and security.
The martial arts have made an important shift over the past 20 years, from a recreational activity to one of real necessity for our children. You don’t need to look further than this publication to understand their needs and how ongoing martial arts training will impact their life.
And let’s not underestimate the essence of martial arts training, self defense. While it isn’t the primary benefit children and parents are seeking, the ability to defend and protect oneself from physical harm is critical to the development of the character-building benefits of martial arts training. According to Dr. Abraham Maslow, a renowned psychologist, people have five levels of needs. He says that we must satisfy the lower levels before we can move on to achieve higher level needs. Following Maslow's theory, we need to feel secure and protected from the outside world before our mind can concentrate on reaching higher needs, such as self-actualization, prosperity, success, self-respect, and self-fulfillment. In this way, the martial arts helps us move beyond Maslow's level 2, "Safety and Security Needs." The martial arts provide our young people with self-defense knowledge, which enables them to concentrate on academics without added distractions and anxiety stemming from insecurity.
Comments