children & weapons

[LeaF]

To be Frank I don't think there should be an age placed on it. I agree with the belt type of system. When you reach a certain rank you become eligable to join kobudo. You'd be surprised how many sick adults there are out there. We once had this guy come into our dojo wanting to train in weapons right away. He had told some of us in the change room about is past and he had a history with fighting and gang related stuff. Now this may be an extreme but this helps reenforce that fact that absolute stranges should not be touching weapons. Now age can be a factor. At my dojo adults are allowed to join kobudo 3 ranks before children are and I believe this is good for the reasons stated above. btw and adult in you dojo s considered 15(if mature) or 16 + and a child is 6 to 15 or 16. I feel that if you don't allow people to train in weapons until the reach a certain rank it also gives the students and sensei the oppertunity to get to know them and trust them with weapons.

[spongebob]

I guess I should have mentioned that my kids have really taken to karate. They are very serious kids who listen to the instructor and try their hardest. I'm so astonished by how hard they try, even at home they practise their katas and splitz in the living room without me asking them to. Now I'm not saying they're great or super talented, but they are interested in learning new things and I just wanted to encourage it. I think by the time they turn 16, (if they keep up with it), they'll be awesome. They know if they misuse karate in any way it will be taken away from them.

 

I have to agree with LeaF, just training anybody off the street who has questionable intentions is not a good idea , and children should reach a maturity level. I suppose it would be hard for an instructor to let some kids learn the bo and not others.

[LeaF]

Best of luck to your sons spongebob. It is really a great think if people so young can hold an active interest in the art and show it through their actions.

[Martial_Artist]

I see that it already has been stated, but I believe it depends on the child. Whether or not you teach them weapons depends on whether or not the child can handle the responsibility. I was a wee 8 yrs. old when I was taught knife, two years later katana, nunchaku, and bo. I was also 8 when I was taught to use a gun. I think it depends on the child. If the kid is exhibiting an exemplary mental fortitude for his age, then it could be completely appropriate to teach them weapons. If not, well then, obviously not. Perhaps, when teaching large groups, to avoid chaos it may well be a good idea to set a minimum age/rank requirement. I don't teach large groups often, so my experience with them is limited. I do teach individuals, and only one child ever(he was seven and I didn't teach him weapons because he wasn't ready).

 

I have babbled endlessly. Well, not quite endlessly.

[monkeygirl]

Long before I came to the school, we had a weapons class which anyone could join. Weapons became part of your requirements.

 

White belts had to know Bo Form 1 to reach Yellow Belt, if in the weapons class.

 

However, this is kind of scary, because a lot of our students are ADHD or come in to develop coordination! Put a weapon in their hands and it becomes deadly.