We hear a lot about positivity these days. Seeing the good in things. Striving to find the silver lining.
As parents, positivity couldn’t be more dear. Think of the long road trip with the kids in the back seat. Are we there yet? How long? I’m hungry. I’m thirsty. I’m too hot. This is taking forever!
It’s enough to drive you crazy (no pun intended). The remedy is a course in positivity.
And that’s essentially what black belt training is. Martial arts helps kids learn how to be more positive because essentially there’s no alternative. Karate is one of the most fun activities kids’ll ever do, whether it’s animal runs for the Little Ripples or sparring and breaking boards for kids and teens. Karate=fun.
Except when the going gets tough, of course. Becoming a black belt means building strength, and that takes some sweat (and sometimes tears, and [rarely] blood). The discipline can be rough on kids, like when they’re faced with a new food; they’re hesitant to try it, and quick to shove it away if it’s not to their taste.
Same with push ups, side kicks, forms repeated again and again and again to perfection. That’s why karate instructors emphasize what students are doing right, what they’re improving, how they’re getting faster, stronger, sharper in their karate moves. It’s a focus on progress, on the positive.
Every parent has seen this in action on the karate mats. The instructors lead, but really it’s a collective effort. As other students work to give their all, your kid looks on and gives a little more effort herself. It doesn’t feel like a gulf, like a pit (that’s the negative). It’s more like a hill to climb, and when kids reach the top, they’re thrilled, elated. Happy. Proud.
That’s where the extra push up comes from, and by the time you’re testing for black belt, you’re capable of feats you never thought possible.
If you haven’t gotten started yet, give us a call or a visit to start your kids’ black belt journey.
