What makes you think taekwondo or any martial art is what a 5-year-old kid should be doing as a serious thing?So, I have a five year old who is a very scrappy kid and has been getting into trouble for fighting at school. .
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
What makes you think taekwondo or any martial art is what a 5-year-old kid should be doing as a serious thing?So, I have a five year old who is a very scrappy kid and has been getting into trouble for fighting at school. .
Sorry, but I would never consider any taekwondo or martial arts teacher who hits children with a bamboo stick to be an "exceptional leader." That's an example of a teacher (especially if it was being done in the 1990s) who should be kept as far as possible from children. If a child acts up constantly in a dojang, there's an easy and reasonable remedy: kick out that child and let those who want to learn learn. Would you condone caning of children in kindergarten?Master Kim was an exceptional leader and I was extremely fond of him...
It may also just be a fact that back then it was a "different time", but I remember at least once or twice when Master Kim had to use the dreaded bamboo sword to paddle a kid in front of the class who just would not stop acting up and get his **** together, but we respected him to death and didn't fear him at all. It was definitely tough, but I feel like it was a genuine experience and I would rather impart a similarly genuine experience for my kid, rather than the sterile, suburbanite, "after-school-activity" that the ATA franchise around here seems to offer.
.
What makes you think taekwondo or any martial art is what a 5-year-old kid should be doing as a serious thing?
Sorry, but I would never consider any taekwondo or martial arts teacher who hits children with a bamboo stick to be an "exceptional leader." That's an example of a teacher (especially if it was being done in the 1990s) who should be kept as far as possible from children. If a child acts up constantly in a dojang, there's an easy and reasonable remedy: kick out that child and let those who want to learn learn. Would you condone caning of children in kindergarten?
I should point out that the one or two times I saw my instructor paddle a student it was really just a light tap, not a full on beating. Obviously I don't want someone beating on my kid, but the point is about respect and discipline and being held accountable in front of your peers when you are out of line, as it affects everyone in the dojo. I'm wary of a place where the kids run the show rather than the instructors.
What makes you think taekwondo or any martial art is what a 5-year-old kid should be doing as a serious thing?
The point I was making is that if I'm going to start him in a school and a program, it might as well be one that he can stick with for life. Not something catered to suburban kids that will earn him a B.S. black belt by 3rd grade, which he will have to start all over again to earn in the competitive world at large as an adult (should he chose to pursue it). It may not be a serious thing when he starts it at 5, but it certainly could evolve into a serious thing by the time he's progressed and aged, so why not start with that possibility in mind?
I agree in principle, but it is astonishing how many parents bring their kids in because they want the kids to learn discipline and respect, and the parents don't know how to teach it to them. Since discipline and respect are cornerstones of m.a. training, I usually wind up getting the parents in class as well.I have problems with people who say they want their children to learn discipline and respect by going to martial arts. Firstly, it's the parent's responsibility to teach this (amongst many other things) not martial arts instructors, our job is to teach martial arts.
We (as a society) have an expectation of parents to deliver this learning, but many have (as you point out) no idea how to do so. So they seek someone who they think can help. I consider that a responsible choice (especially if they join the class and learn some from you, themselves).I agree in principle, but it is astonishing how many parents bring their kids in because they want the kids to learn discipline and respect, and the parents don't know how to teach it to them. Since discipline and respect are cornerstones of m.a. training, I usually wind up getting the parents in class as well.
I'm not a fan of kids that young taking MA, either. However, I've seen classes tailored to those ages, and none of them were actually teaching how to hurt, maim, and possibly kill, beyond the ability of a 5-year-old to hit. Most are focused on using MA movements to improve physical ability (like any sport) and helping develop patience, discipline, etc.I consider 5 to be too young to start martial arts, it's too young to be doing anything serious which learning martial arts should be because you are learning to hurt, maim and possibly kill people, that shouldn't ever be just a 'fun thing' for kids. I'd also take issue with the description of 'suburban kids' which somehow implies they are less worthy of being taught martial arts. I don't know what 3rd grade is, but children under 18 should only grade junior black belts and grade for an adult/senior one after 18. To be fair, many places use that system.
I have problems with people who say they want their children to learn discipline and respect by going to martial arts. Firstly, it's the parent's responsibility to teach this (amongst many other things) not martial arts instructors, our job is to teach martial arts. Secondly, most sports and activities require discipline and respect if one is too do them properly, martial arts isn't unique, it has just seemed to acquire an almost mystical reputation for 'teaching discipline' but you can as easily acquire that riding a horse, you certainly learn respect lol.
I agree with this. The closest comparisons I could come up with would be dance classes and gymnastics, both of which can be year-round and involve people for whom teaching is at least an avocation, if not their actual business. And both will help develop discipline and respect if taught in ways that require those things of the student. As you said, many MA instructors take special care to teach these concepts, so there's an advantage there (at least with those who are good at it).I think most kids' sports (soccer, flag football, tee-ball, wrestling, gymnastics, martial arts, etc.) teach many good things in varying degrees: good sportsmanship, gross motor skills, balance, coordination, focus, discipline, respect, courtesy, etc. In any sport, if you're lucky enough to find a good coach, the coach is going to reinforce the lessons of courtesy, respect, focus, discipline, etc.
But of all kids sports, martial arts has some distinct advantages:
- Most kids' sports are seasonal. Your kid gets that coach and those teammates for just 10 short weeks, then it's off to a different sport with different coaches and different teammates. Martial arts are year-round and so the experience has much better continuity...and continuity is important for these kinds of lessons.
- Most kids' coaches are part-time volunteers. Martial arts has the advantage that the instructors generally do this for a living, so they tend to be better at it.
- While all good coaches try to reinforce respect, discipline, etc., martial arts instructors usually make it a special point to do so.
I'm not a fan of kids that young taking MA, either. However, I've seen classes tailored to those ages, and none of them were actually teaching how to hurt, maim, and possibly kill, beyond the ability of a 5-year-old to hit. Most are focused on using MA movements to improve physical ability (like any sport) and helping develop patience, discipline, etc.
I think most kids' sports (soccer, flag football, tee-ball, wrestling, gymnastics, martial arts, etc.) teach many good things in varying degrees: good sportsmanship, gross motor skills, balance, coordination, focus, discipline, respect, courtesy, etc. In any sport, if you're lucky enough to find a good coach, the coach is going to reinforce the lessons of courtesy, respect, focus, discipline, etc.
But of all kids sports, martial arts has some distinct advantages:
- Most kids' sports are seasonal. Your kid gets that coach and those teammates for just 10 short weeks, then it's off to a different sport with different coaches and different teammates. Martial arts are year-round and so the experience has much better continuity...and continuity is important for these kinds of lessons.
- Most kids' coaches are part-time volunteers. Martial arts has the advantage that the instructors generally do this for a living, so they tend to be better at it.
- While all good coaches try to reinforce respect, discipline, etc., martial arts instructors usually make it a special point to do so.
That's a distinction I struggle with, too. I've just come to accept that "martial arts" is a term most folks use to include related activities that aren't really designed to teach combat effectiveness.then it's not really martial arts in my opinion it's Tai Bo or Boxercise.
I'd like to see more sports organizations push respect as a part of what they do. I know a lot of folks who played sports in high school got similar benefits, where they had coaches who demanded discipline and expected respect where earned.Here things are somewhat different, most martial arts coaches don't do it full time, they do it for love, most just cover costs not a wage. Some sports are seasonal but many actually train year round, children here don't tend to move from sport to sport in the way you describe. Our national sporting organisations ie Sport England/Scotland/Wales push strongly respect and discipline in all sports along with anti bullying and anti racist campaigns.
Respect in sport is actually part of the Physical Education GCSE ( national exams taken by secondary school children) BBC Bitesize - GCSE Physical Education - Respecting yourself and others in sport
Many times the coaches in kids' sporting leagues are volunteers. They may not even know a lot about the sport (I've had to explain some of the rules of soccer to coaches), and certainly aren't doing it enough to build in a purposeful focus on respect, nor to ensure kids are developing proper discipline. At least in the MA, the instructors tend to be people who are doing that for many years, so they have the opportunity to hone those parts of the curriculum. The same, of course, can be said of sports coaches with similar longevity.
Maybe not a bad standard. At present, not the practice in the US.Sports coaches here have to be qualified to at least basic level one sports coach and pass police vetting, it doesn't matter whether they are volunteers or professionals. Parents also expect coaches to be qualified, all sports now require coaching qualifications and many offer courses. Minimum Standards for Active Coaches of Children and Young People - Additional Guidance Tool | sports coach UK
This wasn't always the case and the chickens are coming home to roost as it were. We now have 17 police forces currently investigating hundreds of paedophile abuse cases perpetrated by football ( soccer) coaches many years ago. It's horrendous. Hundreds report football child abuse to police - BBC News
Maybe not a bad standard. At present, not the practice in the US.
Re: definition of martial art - my personal opinion is that the best definition is that martial arts are activities that were historically used for combat, even if they're not used for combat nowadays.
Hyperbole? Those are 7 year-old kids and up in that photo you've shown in that photo.
Hyperbole? I just asked you as simple question? Why do you think he is ready for taekwondo at 5 years old? None of the the kids you show in that photo are less than 7.I don't know, you tell me?
Go easy with the hyperbole. The point I was making is that if I'm going to start him in a school and a program, it might as well be one that he can stick with for life. Not something catered to suburban kids that will earn him a B.S. black belt by 3rd grade, which he will have to start all over again to earn in the competitive world at large as an adult (should he chose to pursue it). It may not be a serious thing when he starts it at 5, but it certainly could evolve into a serious thing by the time he's progressed and aged, so why not start with that possibility in mind?
Also, if you had read the thread:
Who talked about fighting? Learning respect and getting discipline requires some things a 5 year old might not possess.I interpreted the OP to mean that he wanted to teach the child discipline and respect...not that he wanted to make him a better fighter.