The Family That Trains Together….
It was a typically busy Saturday afternoon at Quantum Martial Arts, with the wonderful community training hard at North Sydney and The Rocks. During the children’s classes, I had a number of parents say they would be interested in trying the adult’s classes. The reason? The parents felt that their child was learning great self-defence and life skills and they would like to learn these lessons as well.
It got me thinking about all of the adult Black Belts in the Northstar Ju Jitsu system. A large majority of them started their training with their child. Iron sharpens iron and it is great to have family members both striving towards their Black Belts. A real strength of Quantum Martial Arts / Northstar Ju Jitsu is the family-like community, with the multiple families we have training helping to contribute to that feel.
Parents have a massive responsibility in life. You must be a shining example to yourself and your children. There is no textbook on how to be this shining example. You simply must accept responsibility. To fulfil this responsibility to the best, you could do worse than partaking in martial arts. Martial arts has many terrific physical, mental and emotional benefits for all. Some of these are as follows:
Connect With Your Child
Martial arts is not a sport, but rather a life activity. It instils values in you and your child, you have fun with your training, and you can have friendly competitions with each other. But most importantly, you are together. Spend as much time with your child as you can, as they are part of your legacy to this world.
Teach Your Child To Defend Themselves
The world today seems to be very different to when I was growing up. Children may be bullied physically or via social media, or they may be peer-pressured into doing things they do not want to do. While all of our instructors help the children learn self-defence, it is also up to you to be your child’s tutor, to teach them to stand up for themselves and never lose their dignity. Martial arts will help you in that role as a parent.
Teach Yourself To Defend Your Family
Every parent has had to stand up for their family at some point, whether by circumstance or protecting against certain people. Martial arts can help you to defend your family if and when this time comes. This does not have to be physical altercations. Martial arts teaches multiple other lessons, such as staying calm under pressure, awareness and having the mental wherewithal to choose the right actions. Your child will see how you handle situations and learn from it.
Be Your Child’s Role Model
I keep hearing the argument on TV how such-and-such sportsperson is not a good role model to children. Let’s not mistake anything here….you need to be your child’s role model. It does not take much to be your child’s hero, as children naturally love their Mum and Dad. In saying this, you also want to inspire your child. Imagine being fit, healthy and having the energy to play all of the games that your children play. When your child gets older, they will remember those good times. It would also be great if you were just as fit as your child when they are an adult.
Children Often Copy Their Parents
How many times do you see a child being a reflection of their parents? If the child is fit and healthy, often the parents are also fit and healthy. If the child is calm, often the parents are calm. As a parent, the result of your actions and behaviours can last well past your lifetime, but also throughout your child’s and their children’s lifetimes. So, why not be the best you that you can be? Martial arts helps build a better you…a better physical you…a better mental you…a better spiritual you. This is a wonderful legacy to leave with your family.
Parents, what are you waiting for? Join in a class, build a better you and spend some quality time with your child. We look forward to seeing you in the dojo. Daz and Ben.
