There are a lot of emotional benefits available to kids who study the martial arts. We’ve talked about some of them already, but today I’m going to talk about one that sometimes gets overlooked:
Martial arts classes are a great place to make friends!
Think about how most of us make friends. Friendships often start with commonalities, right? You meet someone at work and discover that you share a passion for gardening… or football… or music. And just like that, you have something to talk about, and the relationship grows from there.
At school, kids can struggle to make friends. They’re grouped by age, and that might mean that a shy child doesn’t know where to start to find common ground.
In a martial arts class, kids automatically have something in common. They’re all there to learn martial arts! And with that, they have a host of icebreakers to help them discover other things they have in common.
Discipline is important, but there’s plenty of time before and after class for kids to socialize and get to know one another. As they discuss the moves they’ve learned, or which belt they want to earn, they’ll be able to learn about other kids and share things about themselves.
And, as I’ve told you before, martial arts classes might offer individual instruction, but they do it in a social setting. In class, kids need to work together, offer encouragement, and help one another. That creates an environment of respect and admiration – and it’s easy for friendships to blossom.
I still have friends today that were in the first martial arts class I took nearly 16 years ago! Many of my instructors do, too. Imagine it: your child’s lifelong best friend might be waiting for them at The North Star Academy!
Social skills are undeniably important. They matter at school, where having allies and friends can make the days seem short. And they matter at work, too – if you’ve ever worked alone or in an environment where you didn’t have friends, you know what I mean. As they say, it’s not always the grades you make, but the hands you shake, that open doors for you.
One of my greatest joys as a teacher is to watch a shy child come out of their shell and start making friends. It’s something I’ve seen over and over again, and I never tire of it. As such,
Does your child have difficulty making friends? Are they shy and uncertain in social situations? Why not let them learn about social skills and interactions in a fun environment? Call or text us ASAP at 215 848 5454 to learn more about our programs and how we can help your child become the very best version of themselves!
Yours in training,
Coach Jackson