IT’S OKAY IF YOUR CHILD ISN’T ENTERTAINED EVERY MINUTE OF MARTIAL ARTS CLASS!
Somewhere along the way, we started believing that if a child isn't having fun every single minute, something must be wrong.
Every class needs to be exciting.Every drill needs to be a game.Every activity needs to be new.Every moment needs to compete with video games, YouTube, and whatever else is fighting for our kids' attention.
Apparently, instructors are now expected to be martial arts teachers, comedians, game show hosts, and cruise directors, all while teaching discipline, respect, and self-defense.
Don't get me wrong. We LOVE making classes fun! We enjoy seeing our students laugh, smile, and get excited about learning.
But here's something important:
NOT EVERY PART OF LEARNING MARTIAL ARTS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ENTERTAINING.
Sometimes we practice the same form over and over.
Sometimes we throw the same kick 50 times.
Sometimes we work on a stance that isn't particularly exciting.
Sometimes we have to stand still, listen, and pay attention.
Sometimes we struggle with a technique that everyone else seems to understand.
And yes, sometimes we get bored.
THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LEARNING HAPPENS.
Discipline is doing what needs to be done, even when you don't feel like doing it. Focus is paying attention, even when something isn't exciting. Perseverance is Practicing that same technique until you finally get it right.
Patience is understanding that improvement doesn't always happen overnight.
Respect is listening and giving your best effort, even when the activity isn't your favorite.
We live in a world where entertainment is available at the touch of a button. If something isn't exciting enough, kids can simply swipe to the next thing.
But you can't swipe your way to a black belt.
And you certainly can't build perseverance by quitting every time something gets repetitive, challenging, or a little boring.
Parents, when your child says, "Class was boring today," consider asking a different question.
Instead of "Why wasn't it fun?"
Try:
"What did you practice?""What did you improve?""What was challenging?""Did you give your best effort?"
Because sometimes the class that wasn't the most exciting was exactly the class your child needed.
Martial arts instructors are teachers first. We are not entertainers.
Our goal isn't simply to make sure your child has fun for 45 minutes.
Our goal is to help develop a young person who can focus, work hard, overcome challenges, respect others, and keep going when things aren't easy.
And those lessons will last a whole lot longer than the latest video game.
FUN IS PART OF MARTIAL ARTS. BUT DISCIPLINE IS WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.
— Palmisano's ATA Martial Arts
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