Setting a Goal and Sticking to it With Your Child
You’re busy – probably more this time of year than any other. There is back to school prep, late nights at the office, soccer practice, dance class, helping with homework. And don’t forget about dinner, taking care of the animals, cleaning… Parents these days, more than ever, need to be able to multitask in order to get everything done in a given day. While this hectic schedule might run you ragged, it also gives you a grand opportunity to help teach your kids a valuable lesson: the importance of setting goals and sticking to them.
Teaching Discipline
Keeping your goals and getting things done on schedule may require a bit of juggling, but it also requires a good deal of discipline. This is a character trait that is important in just about all areas of life, but that isn’t necessarily inherent. It’s something that has to be taught. While you might not be crazy about the idea of adding another activity to your already full schedule, a martial arts class can really help in teaching your child this very valuable tool.
Taekwondo is challenging, both physically and mentally, and it requires self discipline to develop the necessary skills and to reach new heights. If your child is new to physical activities or if he or she has difficulty when immersed in new social situations, starting and sticking to any new activity may be even more challenging. If you continue encouraging your child during the difficulty that they might experience during the first few visits until his or her comfort levels increase, then the benefits of the class will begin to kick in and you’ll begin to see the changes in personality.
Keeping Up Your End of the Bargain
As your child learns the skills that martial arts offers and begins progressing through the ranks, they will pick up a multitude of valuable life skills. Martial arts is an excellent workout, it improves focus, it builds discipline and it teaches respect. Martial arts like Taekwondo also offers great opportunities for setting and reaching goals. Each class offers the opportunity to attempt new skills and perfect others. Cumulatively, those skills can lead to achieving bigger goals (like attaining new belt ranks or succeeding in competitions).
In order for your child to experience all of the benefits that go hand in hand with participation in the martial arts, though, you need to be invested in the process as well. You have to take the necessary steps to get them signed up, make the time to get them to class and maintain a positive and encouraging attitude to help them stick with the new activity. Taekwondo is fun, exciting, educational and it offers a great release for excess energy. But if you want your kids to reap these benefits, then you have to be willing to show them that you can effectively set and manage goals and work with them in order to get the most out of their new activity.
