| "Will my child become more violent from learning | | | | Karate Kid movie or on Kung Fu Theatre, most |
| karate, jujitsu, or another martial art?" | | | | children can think of far worse violence. |
| In a word, "No." Children learn self-control by | | | | All you have to do is watch the news, cartoons, |
| practicing martial arts; and the code of conduct | | | | listen to the radio, or read a newspaper, to see |
| that is enforced, within the studio, is carried | | | | things worse than unsupervised hand-to-hand |
| outside into every day life. The average martial | | | | combat. So, the self-defense methods taught to |
| arts school works with parents, and academic | | | | children actually pale in comparison to school |
| teachers, toward the goal of optimum student | | | | shootings, bombings, wars, and drive-by shootings. |
| success. | | | | Karate was created by unarmed civilians on the |
| When you see a Karate demonstration team | | | | island of Okinawa and was taught in secret |
| perform, that is not an indicator of the life skills | | | | among family members for their personal |
| taught within the Karate class. It is the "flashiest" | | | | protection. The philosophy, within a martial arts |
| component of Karate training, presented to | | | | school, will not always be the same, but the |
| capture the public attention. Ten minutes of kids | | | | seeds of violence are not sown within a martial |
| using ancient weapons, breaking, and working in | | | | arts setting. |
| synchronized choreography, is more interesting to | | | | All you have to do is look around you to see |
| the public, than a lecture, by me, about dealing | | | | more, and far worse, violence than learning |
| with bullies without violence. | | | | self-defense - integrated with constructive life |
| However, let's take a closer look at the ten | | | | skills. The fact is a martial artist is not a "street |
| minutes of flash. The next time you see a martial | | | | fighter." If that were a requirement, we would |
| arts demonstration team, remember those | | | | recruit the toughest kids in North Providence. |
| children have to practice those techniques over | | | | As I explain to the children in my Karate and |
| and over again. This requires self-discipline, goal | | | | Jujitsu classes, "Never forget the word, "artist," |
| setting, perseverance, and each child being a team | | | | means to be creative, to be an innovator, and to |
| player. | | | | think for yourself." Children who learn martial arts |
| There is no room for a "one way" personality on | | | | are more apt to be well adjusted and defuse a |
| any martial arts demonstration team. Such a | | | | potentially violent situation. |
| personality would work against a good public | | | | On top of that, most children who study Karate, |
| performance. In a typical Karate class, all of the | | | | or any other martial art, will not be "trouble |
| above-mentioned life skills are learned and much | | | | makers." The children we teach from the Greater |
| more. | | | | Providence, Rhode Island area have learned |
| Children learn much more about violence on the | | | | enough about leadership, in our Karate and Jujitsu |
| television, playing with video games, and dealing | | | | classes, to think for themselves. |
| with daily life, than they will ever learn in a karate | | | | For parents, the gift of martial arts training to |
| class. Even if a Karate teacher was the classic | | | | their children has many rewards, right now, and |
| "evil sensei," that you may have seen in the | | | | into their future. |