Will my child learn discipline from doing Martial Arts?

Yes, absolutely. The sheer nature of the art demands discipline.

Your child is introduced to the class and joins a structure which is designed to take you from wherever you are now through a system of grading which you are only put up for, if you have met the prerequisite criteria to pass. 

There is an etiquette in martial arts which teaches respect for yourself, fellow students and your Sensei’s. You will have the most senior and other Sensei below him or her as well.

You are taught to honour your fellow students and learn from them... The key here is that being an art you work on perfecting what you’ve learnt. Within this necessity comes discipline in itself... 

Because to master technique’s, you’ll have to do them over and over again and, take self responsibility of practicing what you have learn't in the dojo at home.

All encompassing.

Any true martial art will also focus to a degree on the mental and spiritual side of the art, starting with the basics of stillness, breathing and then progressing to meditation and selflessness. 

Again these disciplines require you to have developed a good level of self discipline in order to carry them out.

Now, you might be thinking ‘mastery, selflessness’.  My kid is not ready for all this yet... It’s all done on a step by step basis. In most cases, your child is focused on the next belt. And along with his fellow students, enjoy the continuous learning. 

Learning which is fun and as the student develops, he takes on more and more challenges and is able to lift a heavier load due to the practice that has gone before.

As time goes on, they are exposed in a gradual fashion to what they have accomplished and indeed then take up the mantle of achievement themselves and strive to be better at all aspects of the art.

The payoff.

 

This cannot but have a corresponding effect outside of the sport, as your child will display externally what they have become on the inside... Disciplined, serene, confident, positive and always willing to try.

Does it always pan out this way?

No. Not always, sometimes they never get started, don’t accept the challenge and drop out very early or coast along until they finally throw the towel in. Let’s make no mistake. Even with a lot of talent, martial arts is ‘work’. Enjoyable, but work none the less. 

So, your child needs to say to herself. .. “I love and enjoy this and it therefore doesn’t feel like work. I enjoy the challenge of the discipline required of me, to train and practice regularly, even if it means I might miss a party or two with my Friends.”

Then there is the Martial arts Club or system, the Sensei, the culture of the place. There has to be a fit or an adjustment on the part of the student in most cases, to accept ‘how it is done here’.

Then you the parent may also have an idea of the environment you perceive your child to be in and the influence she will be exposed to from the Sensei to fellow students.

If this match is not present, then You Mum or You Dad may unknowingly talk, or discourage your child from continuing or just withhold the support required when your child is going through the learning curve at whatever stage that appears for her.

An ideal situation.

So, we are looking at factor’s converging to make an ideal situation for all involved. With the right factor’s We’ll end up with your beloved disciplined.

With the wrong factors, your child will leave, be asked to leave or some other connotation... Not disciplined through this art.

                                      
                      

Factor’s:

Sensei fit

Parent fit

Culture fit

Student fit

Dojo fit (training environment)

It is worth noting that your child will get along fine in a large or small martial arts organisation or even with a solo Instructor, depending on the right factors being present. 

This dispels the myth that you need to be in one of the ‘recognised’ schools to be successful.

I hope this helps.

Feel free to post any questions in the comments box below.

Thank you for taking the time.

All the best.

Senpai Paul.