But when your five-year old yells at you “Mom, Kids Rule!” or your ten-year old horrifies you with language that would make a sailor blush, you realize there must be something amiss with what these “family programs” really teach our kids. And sadly, its happening all over the media today, from sports to cartoons, and our children are learning things that we, as parents, vowed we would never teach them. Old fashioned values like respect and self-discipline, seems to have been forgotten, replaced by the dreaded “bling bling” pop culture of today.

Just the thought of your angelic three-year old morphing into a designer-clad, smart-mouthed, money-worshipping, me-obsessed, lay-about is enough to make any parent consider that threatening military school brochure, but there is a solution out there to consider.

Martial Arts training.

From Ninja Turtles to The Karate Kid

You and your kids have all seen the flying kicks, battle cries and mighty chops of their favorite TV characters, as they beat the bad guys to submission – but, you may ask, how on earth can these acts of violence teach my child anything worthwhile?

First, know that what you see on television (save perhaps the Karate Kid) is a far cry from what real martial arts are all about. The fact is, martial arts training is based on non-violence.

Originating in Asia (mainly Japan, China and Korea, although Thailand and Vietnam have their own practices as well), martial arts range from a variety of types and styles, all of which are based on well-rounded, moral teachings. The beauty of learning martial arts is that it encompasses not just the physical aspect of the “sport”, but mental and emotional lessons as well.

Comparing that to other kid’s activities and sports, where fierce competitiveness and “winning at all costs” seems to be the order of the day, it’s not surprising that many children grapple with issues of self-esteem and misplaced aggression.

Now imagine your child actually learning valuable life lessons, skills that he will take throughout life, laying the foundation for a happy, well-adjusted and fulfilled adult life. If only karate for kids was popular in the 70’s, when I was growing up!

The Advantages

• Karate, and other martial arts for kids, builds confidence and self-esteem as well as self-discipline, respect, concentration and courtesy.

• Many martial arts schools also offer leadership courses for kids, in conjunction with their karate for kids programs, or similar lessons.

• Martial Arts is ideal for children who do not do well in team sports, giving them the ability to flourish this activity, while combining physical and mental practices.

• Many do not realize this, but it is a fact that martial arts training are safer than most school sports.

• Children with special needs, such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), learning difficulties and hyperactivity are often recommended to participate in martial arts for kids because of the clear benefits in its structured training techniques.

Kung-Fu Master or Ninja Warrior?

Before you sign up Junior for the first martial arts class you see, take some time to check out the different methods available, and match it with what you know would suit your child best. This is a good way to avoid any problems that may sprout from a conflict of your child’s personality and the training techniques.

Is your little Zach a sensitive soul? Then maybe a class that doesn’t center on sparring (full-on kicks and punches training) but rather, slower, defensive maneuvers would fare better for him. Kids with an aggressive streak, however, may prefer the more forceful moves and thrive in competitive sparring.

Here’s a quick primer on the kid-friendly martial arts training you’re likely to find:

Martial Arts From Japan

Karate

• Uses defensive and aggressive moves

• Centers on building strength and endurance

• Involves chops, punches, kicks, strikes, blocking and sparring

• May use weapons

Jujitsu

• Uses defensive and aggressive moves

• Involves lots of sparring

• Teaches a fair amount of weapons training

Aikido

• Uses a more “spiritual” and harmonious style in redirecting the aggression of the attacker as the form of defense, using throws, pins, rolls etc.

• Taught on the premise of disabling an aggressor without attacking, through your individual inner energy

• Does not involve sparring or competitions

Judo

• Uses gentle, “wrestling-like” movements

• Considered one of the safest methods of martial arts

• Emphasizes physical control as well as mental development

• Engages in competitions

Martial Arts From China

Kung-Fu

• The generic term referring to Chinese martial arts with a variety of styles

• Involves attack movements as well as defensive techniques

• Teaches kicks, punches, chops, throws, falls, grappling, katas, leg sweeps and blows among others.

• Engages in sparring competitions

Martial Arts From Korea

Taekwondo

• Competitive in nature, involves techniques using elaborate footwork and unique high kicks.

• Emphasizes strength, force and attack methods.

• Engages in lots of sparring and competitions.

Choosing The Right Instruction

If you have an idea of the type of martial arts class you’d like your child to participate in, the next step would be to find the right school. Finding the right class that not only matches your child’s and your needs, in terms of teachers you feel comfortable with, the price, facilities and so on, are all important factors.

Say you’ve found a local place that specializes in Karate for Kids. What are the things you should look for?

1. Good Instructors

Check out their qualifications, teaching methods and watch carefully how they interact with the other children. It should be a fun learning experience!

2. Space and Safety

Obviously you would want to entrust your child in as establishment that is safe, well-maintained, and clean with ample space as well as decent facilities and equipment.

3. School Values

Different martial arts schools inevitably go by different values, for instance, one kid’s karate class may handle aggression in one way, while a judo class would have a different approach. Take some time to observe which school’s ideals match your family’s principles.

4. Prices and Schedules

Prices for martial arts training can vary according to school and location, so make sure you the instruction you choose represents fair value. Finding the most effective way to fit martial arts training into your family’s lifestyle is also essential, knowing what works best with your schedule and other activities.

Baby Blackbelts

Starting your child young in karate training is ideal (children as young as the age of four are usually accepted, as it is also a good way to hone fine motor skills), and lots of parents have found that in as little as a year, their children who were involved in martial arts had noticeably gained positive traits such as increased self-esteem, respect and overall physical fitness.

Many parents also opt to join a martial arts training program themselves, making it a great bonding experience for the entire family.