Would You Force Your Child to Study Karate?

[angrywhitepajamas]

I would probably not force my child to train in karate or Ma. My children would be aware of the option and it would be nice they want to train, but not necessary.

 

[Thesemindz]

Just a stray thought as I have a three year old at home. I'd like for him to study a martial art when he gets older to gain some of the obvious advantages from the activity. But should I force him to study it if he doesn't want to?

My sensei by his own words did with his sons. Of the three, two are still active in karate, but I gather there was some friction along the way with at least 1 of them.

As a father of an only child, I try to strike a balance between being too strict and being too permissive. I only want the best for my son.

I don't think it's ever right to force another human being to obey your commands against their will.

I love martial arts. I encourage everyone, everywhere, all the time to practice martial arts, and offer to teach everyone I know. I think martial arts is one of the greatest things mankind has ever created.

I'm sure I will annoy my children very much by constantly bringing up the subject. I'm sure I annoy my wife now. I try not to be too bad about it. I will go out of my way to impart some basic self defense information to my children. Just like I'll tell them how to duck and cover, and what to do if there's a fire.

But force? Never. I don't have the right.


-Rob

 

[Bruno@MT]

I don't think it's ever right to force another human being to obey your commands against their will.
-Rob

Noble thoughts, but the reality requires different. First of all, children lack the required experience and skills to make informed decisions. They need their parents to do that for them / with them. If they want to eat only candy floss, it is up to you to make them eat more healthy things. If they misbehave it is up to you to punish them. If they don't want to take their medicine, it is up to you to make them take it. Kids cannot make many of those decisions for themselves in a rational way.They need parents to get them to the point where they are capable enough to take care of themselves.

And second, you also need to force adults to do things. At least, you have to in any society that actually has a shot at existing. Paying taxes for one thing (because without taxes, countries cannot exist. But even if you were to argue about taxes in favor of some hypothetical model, let's look at law enforcement. How can you lock up criminals if you have absolutely no means to force them to stay inside? How do you deal with thieves, pedophiles and murderers if you are not allowed to force their punishment on them?

 

[Gorilla]

This has been my experience. I wanted my daughter to do ballet and gymnastics. She chose soccer. I wanted my son to play baseball and basketball. He chose Martial Arts and Football. I wanted my daughter to do martial arts after her brother got in involved she refused. After 4 years she approached us to our shock and stated she wanted to do martial arts. My kids have never done what I wanted them to do in regards to sports. My only requirement is that they participated in some sort of sporting activity. I think that you should allow him to pick a sporting activity that he likes and then he should do it. You should only require that he does something. Video games are not an option.