Shelley Gilken teaches an Action Karate class to young students in May. Photo provided
By Shelley Gilken
When people think of karate, they often conjure up images of punches, kicks or hand-to-hand combat.
Those are all part of karate and self-defense, but there are far more important skills that come with learning martial arts.
Among them: discipline, self-control and confidence.
These skills come to mind as students prepare to go back to school in the next few days facing uncertainty, the potential for bullying and pressure to fit in and keep up with classmates.
As a lifelong student of martial arts and a karate instructor for kids, I’ve found that building a student’s confidence is far more important than teaching them how to punch. In many cases, doing the first one reduces the likelihood the child will be in a position to resort to the second.
Here are five ways to ensure that your child has a smooth transition in this school year.
Pre-frame. Make sure your children know what bullying is and that you are willing to listen and support them if they raise any concerns. Discuss with your child any concerns they have over the approaching school year.
Just as an athlete mentally prepares before a game, children should have the mindset that they are about to experience new challenges, relationships and life lessons. Tell them to be prepared for the unexpected and remind them of how they’ve grown from the previous year.
Practice, practice, practice. Lack of confidence in academic ability can have a lasting effect on the child’s overall confidence. Students who don’t perform well early could end up living with lowered expectations and be more susceptible to a bully’s taunts.
When it comes to starting a new school year, it may be daunting for a child to go right back into learning a difficult subject without consistent practice. If your child struggles in a subject like math, make sure he/she has a practice workbook and be sure to affirm progress.
Analyze the previous school year. Every child has academic strengths and weaknesses. Every child has social strengths and weaknesses. Was your child prone to internalize insults or did your child believe in his or her abilities? Figure out what issues there are and how you can build on the strengths, and improve on the weaknesses.
This is also a great opportunity to set new goals for the upcoming year. Generate a list of measurable goals so the child can be inspired by positive feedback of meeting goals.
Don’t overload. Karate, gymnastics, soccer, piano. All these activities can be great for child development. However, overloading a child with activities can lead to subpar performance in all activities, including academics, instead of succeeding in one or two. A packed calendar can create fatigued, frazzled children.
Flexibility in the schedule is also key to allow the child time to initiate free play activities and explore friendships outside of structured environments.
Start strong. Getting back into a strict routine is difficult for anyone. When school begins, make sure your child’s routine is a system for success. The balanced approach to your children’s time — right from the start — builds healthy habits early that will get them through the tough times.
Shelley Gilken is a freelance writer, a black belt with Action Karate and a part-time karate instructor. Reach her at: littlerockyg@gmail.com.
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