What are the challenges of raising a kid? What are the things that, as parents, we would think of if we were asked?
Safety? On the street? In the schoolyard?
Mental resilience?
Mental health?
Community in an increasingly lonely world?
Bad role models in a world full of shallow “influencers”?
Keeping them off screens and gaming?
It’s hard to say. Our parents and grandparents would have had different answers, that’s for sure.
But the fundamentals probably would be the same. We’d reply that no matter what challenges the modern world throws up, we’d want them to be confident, able to take care of themselves, and resilient in the face of challenges. We’d want them to be physically fit and to enjoy staying that way. We’d want them to be able to defend themselves if necessary, but for boys in particular, have the confidence to walk away if it’s not necessary.
Our parents would probably have said the same thing.
No sport or activity has all of the answers, of course. But we’ve seen so many kids get incredible benefit from training Jiu Jitsu. Here’s why.
While we train in a group, Jiu Jitsu is an individual journey that means you develop at your own pace. There’s no one that you have to give the perfect pass to. There are no matches that you have to attend each week. That means you can train for just the love of it.
At the start of every sport or activity, you’re almost always the worst person in the room. You’re the newbie. Of course that’s the way! But the way that we coach is different. Of course, your child won’t win their first “match” if the other kid is more experienced, but they won’t just do match ups. They’ll also play games that give them small successes over time, building towards greater and greater achievements. This is how we build real confidence and belief.
Yes, they’re in age bands, but they’re also exposed to the older kids and to the coaches over time. They see how the older boys and girls train. They also see how the coaches, who are all active Jiu Jitsu athletes, look after themselves, conduct themselves, and speak to each other. Building relationships of respect and mentorship with older athletes and coaches is an important part of developing in Jiu Jitsu.
The word discipline is misunderstood in martial arts, often by the martial artists themselves! The root word of discipline is disciple, meaning “one who learns”. That’s how we approach discipline here. You’re learning how to be respectful, how to manage your own training, master your feelings of frustration when you lose, or perhaps arrogance when you win. You’re learning to be calm when you’re in a tough spot, and to be decent when you’re in control.
Success now! is not in our vocabulary. Instead, we’re thinking long term. If we get a child in the door, what will she be like in 5 years, or 10 years? How can we teach them that sport and exercise is fun, and something you should do for life. Bar stools are full of backsides that were under 12 champions, or youth prodigies. Of course, we’d like them to do well at tournaments if that’s what they want, but the most important thing is that they enjoy and learn for life, not just for a season.
Currently, we’re recruiting into our Kids classes. Often, our younger ones have a waiting list, but these do move as kids move on to the next age categories, so do still apply. We’ll get to you. Our teens group currently has slots available.
Get in touch now for a Free Trial for your son or daughter, and to come and meet up with us. We’d love to see you here!
See you on the mat,
Barry
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