| Adults may practice Aikido for stress reduction, | | | | situation. |
| relaxation, self-defense, its many cardio vascular | | | | 5) Aikido teaches to enjoy every experience in |
| benefits, or a host of other reasons. But these | | | | life. Children have it difficult enough with increased |
| are concepts that most children don't even think | | | | homework, peer pressure, demanding standards |
| about or care about. So why is Aikido a good idea | | | | and increased dangers all around. A serious |
| for kids? What can it contribute to their lives and | | | | approach to life doesn't always feel good and it |
| yours? (assuming you're a parent) | | | | usually doesn't yield the best possible results. |
| Below are 10 of the reasons to give Aikido a try | | | | Aikido works best when you relax and feel light |
| if your son or daughter has shown any interest in | | | | and having an outlet for your child to "let go" and |
| physical activity and specifically, martial arts | | | | be a kid while learning valuable life skills can be a |
| training or if your child has exhibited signs of | | | | tremendous character building experience. |
| Attention Deficit Disorder or ADHD. | | | | 6) Aikido helps kids in, and at, school. By training in |
| 1) Aikido is a "non-aggressive" martial art. What | | | | Aikido kids develop a calm, clear, and balanced |
| does this mean? Basically that the main principles | | | | mind. As a result, they absorb knowledge easier |
| of Aikido don't encourage self defense at all costs. | | | | and can think and focus with greater clarity. Aikido |
| Generally speaking, Aikido classes aren't taught | | | | emphasizes developing the full human potential and |
| with a mindset of kicking and punching your way | | | | since children spend the bulk of their formative |
| out of conflict. In essence, you don't really start a | | | | years in school, it is one of the most important |
| fight with Aikido - but you can certainly finish one. | | | | places for this potential to be realized. |
| Aikido doesn't encourage kids to emulate the | | | | 7) Aikido for kids helps with sports. Aikido classes |
| Power Rangers or Ninja Turtles punching and | | | | focus on the very things almost every sport |
| kicking their friends, siblings, dogs, and cats. Aikido | | | | requires: stamina, sport specific strength and skill, |
| technique starts when someone else "breaks the | | | | relaxation, focused mind, proper breathing, |
| rules", i.e. attacks. More importantly, Aikido | | | | centering, and being able to visualize the outcome. |
| teaches kids that fighting is a last resort for | | | | Unfortunately, most youth sports only emphasize |
| dealing with conflicts. | | | | the narrow sport aspect of whatever game is |
| 2) Aikido emphasizes remaining calm, relaxed | | | | being played. While most youth athletics |
| balanced. Of course, kids can't, and shouldn't, be | | | | encourage having fun and team work, very few |
| calm all the time. But Aikido teaches them that | | | | amateur coaches (typically dads and moms) have |
| they have a choice. If they need to sit still at | | | | the proper educational training to teach children |
| school or concentrate on homework or focus | | | | the other, more important, fundamentals |
| during sports, Aikido teaches them the | | | | mentioned above. Almost all of the parents of the |
| fundamentals of "going within" and gives them | | | | youth that train weekly at the Aikido Grand |
| tools to help when being calm is necessary. This is | | | | Rapids/ Toyoda Center facility remark at some |
| entirely different from keeping their emotions | | | | point of the amazing transformations that occur |
| bottled up. On the contrary, Aikido calmness feels | | | | over time in their sons and daughters that they |
| good and, in fact, the study of Aikido is the study | | | | directly attribute to the Aikido for kids program. |
| of communication. | | | | 8. Aikido is for everyone. Aikido does not require |
| 3) Aikido teaches kids "practical" self-defense. I | | | | specific athletic talent or skill. In fact, athletic |
| put quotation marks around "practical" to indicate | | | | prowess can sometimes be a hindrance to |
| that practical for a child is completely different | | | | understanding and executing Aikido techniques. |
| from practical for an adult. Striking arts like Karate | | | | The key to making progress in Aikido is simply |
| and Tae Kwon Do, although very good for health | | | | relaxing, effortlessly moving, helping others and |
| and well being, give children one primary tool for | | | | cultivating positive mind. Is there a better |
| dealing with conflict: aggression. If your child only | | | | message for children? |
| knows how to kick and punch their way out of a | | | | 9) Aikido works for people of all shapes and sizes. |
| conflict they will have a lot of difficulty dealing | | | | Since Aikido does not rely on size, strength, |
| with the more prevalent "attacks" life deals out: | | | | speed, weight, or reach, it can be effectively |
| stress, bullying, verbal abuse, and disappointment. | | | | applied by children on adults. In fact, it can be |
| You see, if the real attacks in life don't look like or | | | | quite surprising how much power your children can |
| behave anything the attacker in dojo or dojang, | | | | muster when throwing adults! Some of the most |
| your child will not have the proper tools to identify | | | | effective and powerful Aikido practitioners have |
| and then most effectively deal with the situation. | | | | been the slightest of individuals. Aikido utilizes an |
| 4) Aikido gives kids a positive world view. It | | | | understanding of basic universal principles and |
| teaches that in order to create something | | | | emphasizes non-contention of force. Aikido |
| worthwhile you have to have goals, a clear | | | | teaches that there will always be somebody |
| picture of the intended outcome and then | | | | bigger, faster and stronger and not every |
| practice, practice, practice. Aikido teaches the law | | | | "attack" will come in the form of a bad person. |
| of reciprocity or, what goes around comes | | | | Aikido for kids gives them a large tool box of |
| around. If you start trouble, you've lost. But if | | | | skills to draw on in a variety of situations for the |
| your mind is correct, calm, and positive, you can | | | | rest of their lives |
| make something good out of whatever life hands | | | | 10) Aikido class for kids is good physical activity! |
| you. In fact, Aikido training for kids teaches that | | | | Plain and simple, we tire them out! Children that |
| its each persons responsibility to actively look for | | | | have ADD and ADHD show surprising results |
| ways to make something good out of every | | | | when they leave an Aikido class tired. |