Modern day society is difficult and can seem like an impossible burden to handle for shy kids growing up. Almost every successful individual has managed to achieve his/her goals by being confident. When things get tough in life, as they invariably will, confident people find a way to get through it, while shy people with a low level of self-esteem will struggle, since they lack the belief needed to get through a crisis. Where does karate fit into this equation?
It’s simple, karate builds self-confidence, self-discipline, and self-esteem to the point where a child will grow up equipped to face the world.
Three Ways Martial Arts Helps Kids Socialize
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The problem with the sports kids take part in is the complete emphasis on winning, while ignoring the important aspects, like sportsmanship, discipline, and respect. While you certainly want your child to grow up with a winning mentality, you also want them to show respect for others and this is where karate really shines. As you must refer to your teacher as ‘sensei’ and have to bow to opponents and the sensei before and after classes, you are taught a certain level of humility and respect. Instead of being eager to grind your opponent’s face into the dirt, you will seek to win but learn how to accept victory and defeat with grace.
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Shy kids are the ones that become the target of bullies and instead of learning how to fight back, they withdraw into a corner or tell their parents. While parents should absolutely help their child when he is on the receiving end of bullying, coming to his rescue without ever teaching him to fend for himself will create a ‘victim’ mentality. This will be carried into adulthood and will not lead to a happy time.
With karate, your child will learn how to combat bullies and once he knows how to defend himself, he will become more confident and outgoing. In fact, he may not even need to face the bully again, since he will no longer be giving out victim vibes. Bullies only attack those perceived as weak and with karate on your child’s side, he will not belong in that category. The confident boost will also lead to a more assertive attitude and he will feel more at ease mixing with others since he does it all the time with his karate class.
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Few things build confidence and socialization skills better than a sense of achievement. The longer your child learns karate and the greater level of effort he puts into the art, the more rewards he will receive. This will take the form of spiritual inner rewards and more tangible awards such as a higher colored belt. Your child will also learn how to fight through tough patches when he is not progressing as fast as he would like. This ‘no-quit’ attitude will be a great asset for the rest of his life.
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Keep in Mind
Add self-defense and self-discipline and you get self-confidence. Karate does all of this and much more. If your child has problems socializing, send him to a karate class where he will mix with peers, learn new skills, and eventually gain the confidence he needs to succeed in life.