Why Overscheduled Children Benefit from Kung Fu
Today’s children are more scheduled than ever. Between sports, music lessons and academics, it seems to never end. There are many parents, however, who believe that it is time to end the madness and pare down the number of activities their child, or children, are involved in.
While children and teens need structure, too many activities can be overwhelming. The key is to choose a few of the most important activities and concentrate on those. If your child participates in a martial arts program such as Kung Fu congratulations! Your son or daughter is learning a variety of lessons in one activity. In fact, it would be difficult to find an activity that encompasses more lessons that benefit a child’s mind, body and spirit than Kung Fu.
Here are just some of the lessons a student of Kung Fu will learn:
- Self-Discipline. Instant gratification is what kids today want but that is not the way the world works. Nor should it. Kung Fu teaches children how to be self-disciplined, a skill that is greatly lacking in many children today.
- Social Skills. It is almost impossible not to make friends in a Kung Fu class. Students may enter class with no common interests but that will not last long as they begin their Kung Fu journey together.
- Physical Activity. With obesity rates skyrocketing, physical activity is critical to a healthy lifestyle. Kung Fu gets children and teens moving and encourages them to continue to do just that.
- Goal-Setting. Looking to the future and setting goals is critical in the martial arts. Once a student reaches his or her first milestone they will be inspired to continue on the path toward self-improvement.
- Listening Skills. Paying attention is the only way a student can progress in the journey that is Kung Fu. Kung Fu teaches children the importance of not just listening but understanding what they are hearing.
- Conflict Resolution. Bullying and violent behavior are on the rise. Kung Fu provides children and teens the ability to protect themselves but, more importantly, it teaches them to settle conflicts peacefully so they do not have to resort to physical altercations.
There are many worthwhile activities your child can participate in. However, there is a limit to how much time a child can commit to extra-curricular activities. Kung Fu allows children to get the most out of one single activity and, most importantly, it is an activity that will enrich every other area of their lives.