Engaging your Child

[JR 137]

I was thinking about this when I posted in my thread in the Getting Started section of the forum...

MA is unique compared to other "sports" in that there's no off-season. I think a big reason why kids stay motivated is stuff like soccer, baseball, basketball, etc. is because there's a start and end date. Is there an off-season in MA? Kids' sports seasons typically last 8-10 weeks or so. They might go right from one sport to another, but it's not the same sport 12 months a year. MA offers the incentives of belts and possibly some tourneys, but those can get old. Especially when a kid has put 4-5 years of consistent training in and reached a junior black belt. Now what is going to keep them going?

Perhaps give them a week or two off every other month? Maybe at least a week off after every new belt/promotion? But after the new promotion, I'm sure they're excited to wear the new belt and learn new stuff, so maybe not. What kid wants to get their new belt, especially a black belt, and not wear it for 2 weeks? Some places charge too much to begin with, so why waste half a month's tuition?

Just looking for ideas. My 5 year old daughter just started at my dojo. I'm looking at ways to keep her from burning out down the road. Better to be proactive than reactive.

[The Pred]

I was thinking about this when I posted in my thread in the Getting Started section of the forum...

MA is unique compared to other "sports" in that there's no off-season. I think a big reason why kids stay motivated is stuff like soccer, baseball, basketball, etc. is because there's a start and end date. Is there an off-season in MA? Kids' sports seasons typically last 8-10 weeks or so. They might go right from one sport to another, but it's not the same sport 12 months a year. MA offers the incentives of belts and possibly some tourneys, but those can get old. Especially when a kid has put 4-5 years of consistent training in and reached a junior black belt. Now what is going to keep them going?

Perhaps give them a week or two off every other month? Maybe at least a week off after every new belt/promotion? But after the new promotion, I'm sure they're excited to wear the new belt and learn new stuff, so maybe not. What kid wants to get their new belt, especially a black belt, and not wear it for 2 weeks? Some places charge too much to begin with, so why waste half a month's tuition?

Just looking for ideas. My 5 year old daughter just started at my dojo. I'm looking at ways to keep her from burning out down the road. Better to be proactive than reactive.

How many days a week does your daughter go? And out of those days how many classes per day?

[bushido_man96]

I was thinking about this when I posted in my thread in the Getting Started section of the forum...

MA is unique compared to other "sports" in that there's no off-season. I think a big reason why kids stay motivated is stuff like soccer, baseball, basketball, etc. is because there's a start and end date. Is there an off-season in MA? Kids' sports seasons typically last 8-10 weeks or so. They might go right from one sport to another, but it's not the same sport 12 months a year. MA offers the incentives of belts and possibly some tourneys, but those can get old. Especially when a kid has put 4-5 years of consistent training in and reached a junior black belt. Now what is going to keep them going?

Perhaps give them a week or two off every other month? Maybe at least a week off after every new belt/promotion? But after the new promotion, I'm sure they're excited to wear the new belt and learn new stuff, so maybe not. What kid wants to get their new belt, especially a black belt, and not wear it for 2 weeks? Some places charge too much to begin with, so why waste half a month's tuition?

Just looking for ideas. My 5 year old daughter just started at my dojo. I'm looking at ways to keep her from burning out down the road. Better to be proactive than reactive.

These are all great points, and the fact that MA really as no "off-season" is one of the major reasons I haven't started my boys in TKD. I don't want to start them and then after 6 months, they decide they don't want to go anymore. Nor do I want to push them into it just because its what I like to do.

Both of my boys Wrestle now. I do count that as Martial Arts training for them, and it is possible for it to be a year-round activity, but it is a very long season, and it really drives kids physically and mentally, especially when looking at competing just about every weekend. When that season is over, its maybe a week off, and then we jump into baseball. The fact that baseball is something fresh, they usually are ready to jump into it.

So, what is the answer to avoiding burnout in young Martial Artists? I don't know. Perhaps breaking the year up into segments would be a good idea for the youth of the Martial Arts. Maybe a 3 months on, 1 month off rotation? As long as they stay active in some way during that time, jumping back in shouldn't be too tough. Perhaps instead of taking a month off, that month of the rotation is just a one-class-per-week month. They can keep movement patterns fresh, but not worry about training for testing or anything like that.

[JR 137]

How many days a week does your daughter go? And out of those days how many classes per day?

She's only been to 2 classes so far. We don't have the half hour classes for the little ones like most dojos do. She's a just turned 5 year old in a 6-12 year old class. Class is 1 hour, available 3 times per week. My CI recommends once or twice per week, no more than twice to avoid overdoing it. I agree with that.

I'm thinking twice per week, Saturday and either Monday or Thursday. If I take her once per week initially, I'm not sure she'd progress quickly enough, thereby frustrating her. I don't want her to feel "lost" for too long. We're not a big dojo, and definitely not a commercial one; most kids are around 8 and up. I think there's about three 6 year olds total. A conversation with their parents would definitely help too.

She's all about it. She loves every minute of it and wants to go more. I want her to progress so she doesn't feel lost in class, but its not all about her becoming the next Bruce Lee either. Competition isn't on the table either. I just want her to have fun doing something she loves doing, and pick up the skills and benefits the MA offers. I'd say once a week, but she's going to need to get some relatively quick success at first to not get frustrated.

[Hawkmoon]

... have her show off to you!

Have a family contest from time to time showing how good the other one is, the emphasis being how good she is!

Build a wooden frame with her, to hang tennis balls from to kick at them.

Or dodge and wear around anything that she can compete with you about and more often than not win and when you win maybe she gets to beat you up because you maybe kind'a sort'a cheated .

Make it fun, and make it natural for her to do this stuff!

Kids are fickle and come next summer a new something could come along and change the game entirety and its all 'my little pony' or 'TMNT' .... or The X Factor! !

My boy was the same he was up for doing what I did so we found a school he liked and thats been the thing for a few years now, but now some of his buddies are going football (soccer) mad its all football this and football that!

[JR 137]

... have her show off to you!

Have a family contest from time to time showing how good the other one is, the emphasis being how good she is!

Build a wooden frame with her, to hang tennis balls from to kick at them.

Or dodge and wear around anything that she can compete with you about and more often than not win and when you win maybe she gets to beat you up because you maybe kind'a sort'a cheated .

Make it fun, and make it natural for her to do this stuff!

Kids are fickle and come next summer a new something could come along and change the game entirety and its all 'my little pony' or 'TMNT' .... or The X Factor! !

My boy was the same he was up for doing what I did so we found a school he liked and thats been the thing for a few years now, but now some of his buddies are going football (soccer) mad its all football this and football that!

She's been doing her own "katas" for a while now. Running around punching, kicking, jumping and kiai'ing. I bought her some focus mitts last year for Christmas that she loves punching and kicking. My wife and I sit and watch her do her "kata," then my 2 year old has a turn too.

I've taught her basic punches and kicks - mae geri, mae keage, kin geri, mawashi geri. Tried the basic blocks, but she struggled a bit. She struggled a bit in class with basic stuff I didn't teach her - yoi, noare, mawate. She picked up on those in class though.

She's such a smart and athletic kid, and very focused. I just want her to keep the focus and love for it.

[The Pred]

... have her show off to you!

Have a family contest from time to time showing how good the other one is, the emphasis being how good she is!

Build a wooden frame with her, to hang tennis balls from to kick at them.

Or dodge and wear around anything that she can compete with you about and more often than not win and when you win maybe she gets to beat you up because you maybe kind'a sort'a cheated .

Make it fun, and make it natural for her to do this stuff!

Kids are fickle and come next summer a new something could come along and change the game entirety and its all 'my little pony' or 'TMNT' .... or The X Factor! !

My boy was the same he was up for doing what I did so we found a school he liked and thats been the thing for a few years now, but now some of his buddies are going football (soccer) mad its all football this and football that!

She's been doing her own "katas" for a while now. Running around punching, kicking, jumping and kiai'ing. I bought her some focus mitts last year for Christmas that she loves punching and kicking. My wife and I sit and watch her do her "kata," then my 2 year old has a turn too.

I've taught her basic punches and kicks - mae geri, mae keage, kin geri, mawashi geri. Tried the basic blocks, but she struggled a bit. She struggled a bit in class with basic stuff I didn't teach her - yoi, noare, mawate. She picked up on those in class though.

She's such a smart and athletic kid, and very focused. I just want her to keep the focus and love for it.

Awesome, best of luck

[Alberic Blau]

He'll maybe like another style other than karate? Aikido, ninjutsu, etc?

[Lupin1]

I was thinking about this when I posted in my thread in the Getting Started section of the forum...

MA is unique compared to other "sports" in that there's no off-season. I think a big reason why kids stay motivated is stuff like soccer, baseball, basketball, etc. is because there's a start and end date. Is there an off-season in MA? Kids' sports seasons typically last 8-10 weeks or so. They might go right from one sport to another, but it's not the same sport 12 months a year. MA offers the incentives of belts and possibly some tourneys, but those can get old. Especially when a kid has put 4-5 years of consistent training in and reached a junior black belt. Now what is going to keep them going?

Perhaps give them a week or two off every other month? Maybe at least a week off after every new belt/promotion? But after the new promotion, I'm sure they're excited to wear the new belt and learn new stuff, so maybe not. What kid wants to get their new belt, especially a black belt, and not wear it for 2 weeks? Some places charge too much to begin with, so why waste half a month's tuition?

Just looking for ideas. My 5 year old daughter just started at my dojo. I'm looking at ways to keep her from burning out down the road. Better to be proactive than reactive.

This is why I'm starting to like that we get summers off. The club we run out of has different hours in the summer and it just got too confusing for us to be there after they closed (people would see cars in the parking lot and think it was open and come in). That and hardly any kids would ever show up in the summer.

Now I like having the break, even though it makes people progress a little slower and it can be an ordeal getting everyone back into things in September. We also generally lose the most kids right after summer break. But those who do come back are usually refreshed and remotivated and ready to work hard again. They're excited to be back and that excitement gives them some good momentum so that we usually end up doing a lot of promotions right before Thanksgiving.

[Judodad_karateson]

He'll maybe like another style other than karate? Aikido, ninjutsu, etc?

Honestly, its not in the budget. I know he would love bjj. I did judo forbtears, grappling engages the mind is such a different way. But the BJJ school around here have bad kids programs or just cost too much.

Anyone have any thoughts on switchjng to TKD, though? Hoe much different is it for a kid?