In addition to fitness, self-defense skills or rank achievements, the martial arts also offer a variety of other benefits. The most important of these are ’life-skills’ like focus, self-discipline, attention to detail, responsibility and perseverance. These can also be among the most difficult for students to learn...especially younger students.
Though it may not always be obvious, the majority of the drills and activities conducted in the children’s classes at ZenQuest have value in developing important life-skills. Even games that are played at the end of class typically teach things like sportsmanship, respect for others, attention to detail, and a sense of honor.
At ZenQuest we provide a variety of strategies to help our students, including kids, learn these qualities. Generally, they involve a time-tested strategy of matching consequences with choices and actions. Hard work, dedication, positive attitude, and good conduct is rewarded with praise, privileges, and rank promotions. Conversely, a lack of effort, poor attendance, negativity, and bad choices result in negative consequences like verbal queues and warnings, time-outs, and delays in rank promotions.
For this to work, it is essential that children’s parents support these strategies. Of course, it is easy for parents to reinforce positive consequences for positive choices and behavior. But it can be much more challenging for us when our child is given a corrective consequence for a poor choice. Although this can be the most difficult challenge in parental support, it is also the most critical time to be supportive. Often times it may only take one negative consequence to reinforce a boundary or correct a poor choice.
Parental support on simple things like attendance and timeliness is also very important for a young student’s success. With the Instructors and parents all pulling in the same direction, children can learn important life-skills that will last a lifetime. As they say, teamwork makes the dream work!
Though it may not always be obvious, the majority of the drills and activities conducted in the children’s classes at ZenQuest have value in developing important life-skills. Even games that are played at the end of class typically teach things like sportsmanship, respect for others, attention to detail, and a sense of honor.
At ZenQuest we provide a variety of strategies to help our students, including kids, learn these qualities. Generally, they involve a time-tested strategy of matching consequences with choices and actions. Hard work, dedication, positive attitude, and good conduct is rewarded with praise, privileges, and rank promotions. Conversely, a lack of effort, poor attendance, negativity, and bad choices result in negative consequences like verbal queues and warnings, time-outs, and delays in rank promotions.
For this to work, it is essential that children’s parents support these strategies. Of course, it is easy for parents to reinforce positive consequences for positive choices and behavior. But it can be much more challenging for us when our child is given a corrective consequence for a poor choice. Although this can be the most difficult challenge in parental support, it is also the most critical time to be supportive. Often times it may only take one negative consequence to reinforce a boundary or correct a poor choice.
Parental support on simple things like attendance and timeliness is also very important for a young student’s success. With the Instructors and parents all pulling in the same direction, children can learn important life-skills that will last a lifetime. As they say, teamwork makes the dream work!
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