Some Advice from a 7 Year Old

[JowGaWolf]

Now that, is just creepy.

That's not creepy.

I used to work for the city and we picked up kids in a van that look like this.. No AC., the van smelled dirty and dusty like an old maintenance van. To drive it straight you had to constantly turn the wheel left.

I used to work in that red building lol looks like they upgraded the white van. I bet it has AC lol.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Sorry, EDIT: I meant that TKD is particularly valuable for gross motor skill development when the kids are NOT involved in other sports.

Kung fu is better lol Specifically Jow Ga Kung fu.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Businesses market to kids all the time. I can pull up tons of examples like this. Do we really think "Happy Meal" was being marketed to parents. Or that "Martial Arts Birthday Party" is targeting adults. Do a Google image search for "Martial Arts Birthday Party." Then ask me how many adults want to have their party there? lol.

The adults at our school did cook outs where students got together outside the school to just enjoy each other's company and food. Our cook outs were the best in terms of food because of the diversity. Kids liked it because they could hang out with classmates without being so formal.

"Marketing to kids" always get a bad rep becasue it of high profile cases like marketing cigarettes and smoking to kids. So there's an assumption that ALL marketing to kids is bad. Disney is probably the king of marketing to kids.. Disney markets to kids and then kids high pressure their parents to go see movies or visit the amusement parks.

But if schools want a specific type of student in their school, then best business practice says to market to the target market that you want in your school. If you don't want kids that are rude, then don't market to the groups that contain rude kids. But like everything in marketing, Marketing SHOULD BE ETHICAL no matter who is your customer.

The category that came to my mind was toys. Some toys seem to market only to kids. Some only to adults. The most effective marketing seems to do both: it uses kid language, and shows well-behaved kids having fun in a neat and tidy house (the latter looks more like marketing to the adults).

 

[Steve]

Couple of observations and clarifications.

First, I think it's important to distinguish between marketing a product and developing a product. The two are related, but are not at all the same thing. How you market a product is strictly sales. While it's easier to market a product that is high quality, people sell crap all the time. Martial arts is no different.

Second, I agree with those in this thread who talk about the tangible benefits of martial arts training for kids. In my opinion, it's healthy, honest, and appropriate to emphasize the gross motor skills that kids will develop. By all means, highlight the exercise and structure. Self defense? I don't know... that to me seems sketchy. I don't think there's anything unique to martial arts in that area. Or said the other way, I believe that participating in many/most other sports or clubs is just as effective at helping kids deal with bullies as martial arts. There is nothing intrinsic to martial arts that makes it better than any other activity in this area. I've explained this in more detail in the past, and am happy to elaborate now, if anyone cares to hear it. But the bottom line is that marketing the self defense elements, in my opinion, is just sales, and has nothing to do with the actual product. It implies or overtly states that martial arts is better than X activity, when the reality is that it is not. Note that this doesn't mean that participating in martial arts is bad or doesn't help at all. Only that it is no better or worse than any other activity of similar quality.

Third, I think the most effective programs for kids focus on fun, exercise, community, and participation in some kind of sport. The real world lessons that kids learn from BJJ, Judo, TKD, wrestling, etc are EXACTLY the same real world benefits they would learn from football, baseball, soccer, or any other sport. So, it's not about finding the kids who are going to take it seriously. In my opinion, that's a self defeating goal. Some will; most won't, and that's okay. Kids may try it and fall in love with it right away. Most will try it, along with about a dozen other things and that's okay two. The benefits gained are not about commiting to martial arts. Rather, the benefits come from participating in something, whether it's one thing for four years, or four things in four years.

Lastly, all of that presumes there is some actual, tangible product being delivered. Self-defense isn't an actual thing. It's an abstract. Discipline, respect, courtesy, etc... those are not products. They are abstracts. If you don't have a tangible skill being taught and applied, you undermine many of the very lessons that could be learned. The respect, work ethic, discipline, integrity, etc, don't exist in a vacuum. For kids, this (IMO) needs to be very concrete and involve clear, tangible goals and lots of feedback on performance. They get this from any competently run sport. They also get this from any band or orchestra, the chess club, or pretty much any other competently run activity for kids.

 

[Oily Dragon]

Kung fu is better lol Specifically Jow Ga Kung fu.

You are a rebel rouser. I salute that.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Self defense? I don't know... that to me seems sketchy. I don't think there's anything unique to martial arts in that area

It doesn't have to be unique, you just have to get them better at it. It doesn't have to super, it just has to be practical.

Don't forget that self defense is more than just fighting. I've seen kids do an excellent job at stopping someone from kidnapping them soply by kicking and screaming.

I taught a 5 year old girl who hit another child that was bullying her.
For a 5 year old she had a decent Luk Choi with weight. I think Long Fist swings are more natural for kids who naturally swing their arms in a similar way. She just learned a better way to hit using the same motion. 5 months of hitting pads with that punch makes good practice. She probably would have hit the other child even if she didn't know kung fu. But it probably wouldn't be as effective.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Kung fu is better lol Specifically Jow Ga Kung fu.

I actually told a hockey organizer this part weekend that I think hockey is one of the best sports for gross motor skill development. I'm not expert, but like martial arts, it involves using the hands and feet for power, speed and precision, it involved the legs in atypical ways, and it involves spinning, turning, and forces the development of both the left and right sides.

All that said, I think ANY sport is much better than nothing....even kung fu!

 

[Steve]

It doesn't have to be unique, you just have to get them better at it. It doesn't have to super, it just has to be practical.

I don't think you understood what I was saying. It's like you're responding to what you presume I might say and not what I actually wrote. As a response to what I wrote, this doesn't make any sense.

Don't forget that self defense is more than just fighting. I've seen kids do an excellent job at stopping someone from kidnapping them soply by kicking and screaming.

Wait.. I was going to just point out that if your impression is that I think self-defense for kids has anything to do with fighting, have I done a poor job communicating. Because that's about the opposite of what I think.

But then I realized that you are saying you actually saw a kid being kidnapped. Attempted kidnappings, and specifically non-family kidnappings are incredibly rare. That you witnessed one is actually quite remarkable.

I taught a 5 year old girl who hit another child that was bullying her.
For a 5 year old she had a decent Luk Choi with weight. I think Long Fist swings are more natural for kids who naturally swing their arms in a similar way. She just learned a better way to hit using the same motion. 5 months of hitting pads with that punch makes good practice. She probably would have hit the other child even if she didn't know kung fu. But it probably wouldn't be as effective.

For kids, self defense has very little to do with fighting. So, in that vein, I encourage you to go back and read my post again. Self defense for kids has nothing to do with punching. LOL. The very idea of a five year old benefiting in any practical sense from hitting pads is a little ridiculous. Come on, man. You're bragging about teaching a five year old how to hit harder? Dude.

 

[Steve]

I actually told a hockey organizer this part weekend that I think hockey is one of the best sports for gross motor skill development. I'm not expert, but like martial arts, it involves using the hands and feet for power, speed and precision, it involved the legs in atypical ways, and it involves spinning, turning, and forces the development of both the left and right sides.

All that said, I think ANY sport is much better than nothing....even kung fu!

Just get them moving.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Just get them moving.

Yes, I think many fitness pundits have said more or less "the best fitness activity is the one you will actually want to do"

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

I can’t stand them. As Jean Luc Picard, “They’re demanding, distracting and interfere with duty and pleasure alike” 🖖🏽

I like them just fine, I just can’t eat a whole one by myself.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

When my primary instructor told me I'd have to have kids classes to keep a school running, I told him I'd need duct tape and wall hooks to store the kids until their parents got back.

Velcro gi and fuzzy walls.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

I'm starting to wonder if those who don't like to teach kids come from places that ran martial arts like an after-school program.

My Sifu and my Sigung refused to teach children.

 

[Wing Woo Gar]

Friendly neighborhood reminder

This thread is about children in MA classes.

Oh those.

 

[Oily Dragon]

I actually told a hockey organizer this part weekend that I think hockey is one of the best sports for gross motor skill development.

Unless they drown

 

[JowGaWolf]

So, it's not about finding the kids who are going to take it seriously.

Of course it is. It's no different than sports where coaches want to coach kids who take football, basketball, or any other sport seriously. Kids who don't want to take it seriously are often the kids who don't put in a lot of effort or have behavior problems. Such issues destroy team and group morale and wastes the time of others who are there yo get the most out of their passion for the sport.

I've played on teams and worked on teams where one person didn't care and didn't take things seriously. I've coached basketball teams that had kids who were like that and I've cut them from games because I'd it. It matters.

I rather have a child that will do their best in martial arts than a child who doesn't try or worst whines and disturbs other students from doing their best. It matters.

I have about 20 years of experience working with youth and I've had to deal with many behavior issues. The kids who were trouble makers but could be serious about computers classes not only learn A+ material. They taught there friends what the learned so that there friends could be in the class.

If a parent sees that I'm not serious about teaching kids martial arts then they won't waste time on me. Not serious about work will often lead to be fired. It matters. One of the best lessons a child will learn in life is when to play and when to be serious.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I actually told a hockey organizer this part weekend that I think hockey is one of the best sports for gross motor skill development. I'm not expert, but like martial arts, it involves using the hands and feet for power, speed and precision, it involved the legs in atypical ways, and it involves spinning, turning, and forces the development of both the left and right sides.

All that said, I think ANY sport is much better than nothing....even kung fu!

None of that matters Jow Ga Kung Fu rules.. lol.. whatever you have passion for just hype it up and say it's the best. People who know you will get u. People who don't will think you are crazy but that's good do. Jow Ga Rules. Lol.. Now you know lol.

 

[Steve]

It's no different than sports

I agree.

 

[JowGaWolf]

You are a rebel rouser. I salute that.

Ha ha ha. Gotta fly the flag sometimes. Lol. A parent asked me what's the difference between Jow Ga Kung Fu and Wing Chun. I said Jow Ga is better. She got it and laughed. She saw I had a sense of humor and signed up. She was and still is a Wing Chun fan. She loved her nails which prevented her from making a fist soooo. She quit when I answered her question "Do I need to cut my nauls" my answer only if you want to make a fist you can used. She never came back lol.

 

[JowGaWolf]

My Sifu and my Sigung refused to teach children.

It's not for everyone. It requires a lot of patience, encouragement, cheerleading, acceptance of imperfection and restraint. I always had to becareful how I said things and how I compared things. wwe often hear people say that children steal out energy and I think I think it's because adults have do a lot just to help kids maintain stability while helping them to grow. Parents like it because they can see that someone other than them cares about their child's growth.

Most people who enjoy many years of teaching kids just have a natural talent for connecting with them. My brother is like that. The kids at his school painted a mural of him at the high-school where he works. Some people just have the gift.