TVCH FORUMS HOME . JOIN . FAN CLUBS . ABOUT US . CONTACT . CHAT  
Bomis   Quick Links   TOPICS . TREE-VIEW . SEARCH . HELP! . NEWS . PROFILE
Karate for kids

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Mar. ~ 2005 May: The Cheap Seats: Sports and Entertainment (ARCHIVES): Karate for kids users admin

Author Message
Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 1:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Anyone have kids in Karate? Does it really help with their self esteem and more importantly, their self control?

Lancecrossfire
Moderator

07-13-2000

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 1:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Julie, from all I've heard, both things you list plus other things are helped.

I have a work mate--his son has been in karate for about a year, maybe a bit more. His son enjoys the challenge, it has increased his self esteem, and has also improved his work ethic.

From what the work friend says, the approach the instructor takes with kids is of utmost importance as far as what the kids get out of the program.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 1:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yes!! Martial arts are great for kids. My brother is an Akido instructor and has worked with at risk kids teaching them, and it's amazing what it does for their self esteem.
Karate, Tae Kwan Do, Akido are all good.

Lancecrossfire
Moderator

07-13-2000

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 1:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Texannie, thanks for bringing up other forms of martial arts. Akido is not one of the most popular forms, although from what I know of it, I think it's certainly a great choice for kids to get into. Kudos to your brother for making an effort for those kids.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 2:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks. He is a black belt in Akido.

Lancecrossfire
Moderator

07-13-2000

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 2:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Julie, you might want to write Tess in her folder--her daughter is in martial arts. You could ask what she has noticed about these areas you ask about.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 11:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Julie, I have no experience with Karate (yet) but can tell you what I've seen with other sports. Baseball is what we have most experience with, with both our kids playing, and alot of the families we know having kids involved. It helps with self esteem, self control, exercise, patience, heck they even work harder in school because they know if they aren't doing well there they won't be doing baseball. One of the things I've seen an improvement in with both Caleb and Dakota in baseball is they're learning that they may not be perfect at something the first, second, or 15th time, but that if they keep trying they will see an improvement and that carries over into everything else they do from putting a puzzle together or reading a book thats a little more difficult than they are used to.

Just in general, knowing families with kids involved in many different sports, I've seen that sports are good for kids. THey have something to be proud of, to work for, and a way to keep active doing something they enjoy. As an added bonus for you, you get the chance to watch your son involved in something he enjoys doing and thats just fun.

Kaykay
Member

01-21-2004

Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 6:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Julie, my DD takes Karate and she LOVES it. She was very quiet and shy and this has really brought her out of her shell. Her self esteem and her friend Maya's are much better. They are so "proud " of themselves when they learn a new "move". they want to show everyone!! BTW - my DD is 5 yrs and started when she was 4yrs. I'm going to start my DS at 4 yrs as well

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 7:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks for all your input.

Ryan just finished indoor soccer and is just starting T-ball.

He was a disaster in soccer. Well, luckily soccer is a group thing plus they didn't keep score, so no one really noticed, except his coach and our family (People who watched him specifically).

He was in his own world. He normally is a kid chock full of nonstop energy. At soccer he barely kept his eye on the ball and while all the other kids were running after it, there Ryan was, walking on the different colored lines that were taped on the gym floor. When he was goalie, he would just play with the net and didn't really watch for the ball.

And at his first T-ball practice (so far he's only had one.) once again he was in his own world. Except this time another kid got annoyed with him cuz he was not playing catch correctly (he kept throwing the ball with the hand that he had his mit on.)

Arrgghhh. My mom keeps telling me he needs a little medication, but I am hoping we don't need to go there. But I am not opposed to it if it will help him. I just wish this was more like a skin rash cuz with that you can see right away if the meds work or not.

Anyways, I am digressing big time. I am hoping something like karate might be very appropriate for a kid like Ryan.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 8:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
OMG!!! that is so normal! My dd was a huge daisy picker at that age. She grew out of it. Each kids comes into teams sports at their own pace. Just because he didn't focus well during tball and soccer is no reason to medicate!


Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 8:19 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Oh thank you Texannie!!!

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 8:21 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
And don't worry, if he gets meds it will be a while and after we investigate it in depth.

Karuuna
Member

08-31-2000

Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 8:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Julie, am I right in thinking that your son is about 5ish?

When my son played soccer and tball at 5, at least half the kids on his team were examining their toenails, watching the birds fly by, or got lost in a reverie or two. My own son had a thing of pulling his shirt over his head, so he couldn't see a thing!

There is nothing at all abnormal about your son's distractability at that age. It sounds to me like normal lack of attention span at that age, which will grow as he does. Different kids progress at different rates. Best advice I can give, relax and enjoy him for who he is. I know it's hard not to worry, but do try!

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 8:30 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yes, he is 5. Oh, he spent a good portion of the time pulling his shirt over his head too!

Thank you so much. I do enjoy him, he cracks me up every day and he says the greatest things! Like when he comes up to me and says "I just want to snuggle with my bootiful mom." I know these days will end and I totally enjoy them now.

He is so wonderful and I just want to make sure he grows up happy and with lots of friends. It makes me nervous when I see him acting in ways that I think will turn other kids off...

Karuuna
Member

08-31-2000

Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 9:12 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
He sounds so much like my kiddo!

I think he'll be fine. All he really needs is one or two good friends, and those will change as he grows. The best thing you can do to ensure he has friends is to make sure he likes himself. Kids comfortable in their own skin, without being made like they need to be different somehow, may or may not be the most popular kids. But the friends they develop will be real friends, and their own satisfaction with themselves will make them happy kids. That's what we really want, isn't it?

Tess
Member

04-13-2001

Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 4:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Julie, got your note in my folder. Sarah started Tae Kwon Do partway through first grade. The boys in her class had been taking lessons for at least 2 years already but she fit right in with no problems. At first she wanted me to be there for the classes even though they were held at school and she knew all the boys. Now, after 18 months, she's not only caught up to all of them, but she's passed by a couple of them and I don't need to be there the whole time.

Last April (first grade) she was the only one in her class to participate in the tournament. This year, following her example, some of the boys participated also. And because other parents have seen what a little girl can do, they've enrolled their boys in the class, too, so we're back to having a wide variety of belt levels in the class. The teacher lets them have fun but maintains excellent control.

Karate (and all sports really - we also do basketball and soccer) does help the kids learn discipline and self control. It also teaches them to persevere and to support each other.

Sarah's a very quirky kid. She's in no way your average little girl. But kids like her and she's happy. I had to learn to follow her lead and be there if she needs me and step back when she wants to exert some independence. I tend to be on the over-protective side since she has special medical needs. Honestly, I'd most likely be over protective even if she had no medical issues at all.