I am strongly thinking about getting Vaughn into karate real soon. There is a local karate class in our town and they start at age 4....they claim that it helps with respect, discipline, attitude, and self-esteem. Has anyone had their children involved in karate that could comment or give some advice??




Erin :)

I am strongly thinking about getting Vaughn into karate real soon. There is a local karate class in our town and they start at age 4....they claim that it helps with respect, discipline, attitude, and self-esteem. Has anyone had their children involved in karate that could comment or give some advice??




Erin :)



Benefits? You can whoop some ass and take some names (  >:( )!! However, Vaughn is already a weeeee bit violent (towards me)...so please, for the sake of your dear younger sibling...keep eem locked up!  >:(



Beth

Benefits? You can whoop some ass and take some names (  >:( )!! However, Vaughn is already a weeeee bit violent (towards me)...so please, for the sake of your dear younger sibling...keep eem locked up!  >:(



Beth




I know....but I think they teach them NOT to be violent....it's a lot more than just self-defense...I presume.




Erin :)

It will teach him self-discipline. My son is in Tae Kwon Do and it helps him in school and other places too.

It will teach him self-discipline. My son is in Tae Kwon Do and it helps him in school and other places too.



that's really cool! How old is your son and how long has he been involved with it?




Erin :)

I know....but I think they teach them NOT to be violent....it's a lot more than just self-defense...I presume.




Erin :)


Do you think Vaughn will understand that it is all right to do karate stuff in karate lessons but not at home?  I was watching Supernanny the other week and they had a little boy (5 or 6) who was really violent and kicking his parents all the time.  They ran a kickboxing club and he went along with them when they were both working there in the evenings.  He didn't see (or hadn't been told) the difference between being at the club and being at home.  Supernanny set him straight though!!

see, that's what I am worried about Karen....he is already a very strong-willed child.  Although, i have talked with someone who sends her 6 year old, and she says that it does just the opposite...it teaches more self-control.  This is why I want to do a little more research before getting him involved....all I need is to have him kicking/karate chopping everyone in sight!!! :o




Erin :)

I tried a lesson once during the 'Karate Kid' craze during the 80s with my friend. I was bored with the idea so didn't go again.  ;D

see, that's what I am worried about Karen....he is already a very strong-willed child.  Although, i have talked with someone who sends her 6 year old, and she says that it does just the opposite...it teaches more self-control.  This is why I want to do a little more research before getting him involved....all I need is to have him kicking/karate chopping everyone in sight!!! :o




Erin :)


I'm not sure.  The only people I know who've done karate were much older when they started it.  I've a friend who does Tae Kwon Do and I know his children do it.  If I remember I'll ask him.

Here's a link to a bit of the Supernanny page.  She gives lots of advice on how to cope with bad behaviour and turn it around.

taming your tyrant

Thanks Karen and Kim for your advice...I really appreciate it.





Erin :)

As a Tae-Kwon-Do and Freestyle Martial Arts local champion  ;) (betcha didn't know that did you)

Sensei Rock thinks it's an excellent idea.

It teaches self respect, respect for others, a strong sense of direction, discipline, mental and physical fitness, social interaction and of course.. the ability to kick the piss out of somebody.

If he get's bored i would try and find a Freestyle class for him, i enjoyed tae-kwon-do but once i got up and was training for my different dans (higher grades of classification) it got stale.

Freestyle was great fun, unfortunatley the downside is you can get hurt. I won't soften up the facts for you, i bust my head open twice and one reason that my knee tore so badly when it did was because of the strain placed on it when competing in freestyle competitions. That being said, a little cut never hurt anybody.

Get the lad involved.

You should get him into an instrument, as well. Make him listen to good music. Get him into vinyl. Read poetry to him. If you don't, I will.

I'm gonna make sure he's not a meathead, when he gets older. And absolutely NO football. He's not going to be into sports. When there's a football game going on at his highschool, he'll be the non-conformist under the bleachers, writing poetry.



Beth

You should get him into an instrument, as well. Make him listen to good music. Get him into vinyl. Read poetry to him. If you don't, I will.

I'm gonna make sure he's not a meathead, when he gets older. And absolutely NO football. He's not going to be into sports. When there's a football game going on at his highschool, he'll be the non-conformist under the bleachers, writing poetry.


Then i'm going to abduct him, put him in the gym and burn books in front of him  ;D

No offense Beth.. but guys that aren't in to sports (get beat up if they go to public schools  ;))

I am in no way condoning this.. but ya know, unless he's gonna get sent to a private school, let him be a Baseball fan

No offense Beth.. but guys that aren't in to sports (get beat up if they go to public schools  ;))





That's...not really true. There are different groups in High School. I'm sure not ALL the guys in public school are into sports. In fact, I'm sure of it.


Beth

That's...not really true. There are different groups in High School. I'm sure not ALL the guys in public school are into sports. In fact, I'm sure of it.


That's right.. i don't wanna get away from the topic here by the way.. but the one's that don't.. get shoved in there lockers.. get picked on and at a later stage beat up. It's easy to fit in at school.. support the home team, show a vague interest in popular culture (i.e records by popular beat combo's on the hit parade)..etc..etc..etc

However.. those who like to be different to this will find themselves easily alienated. I hated most stuff that was 'cool' however i retained a passing familiarity with it and avoided trouble most of the time (granted i only went to school has as much as i was supposed to) I know for a fact that the guys that got beat up were the ones that were different.

It's the law of the Jungle i'm afraid.

What kind of Karate is he in to?

Of course, there ARE "bad" schools out there who DO teach the kids to be offensive with it, but I think they are few and far between. 

Darn you, Cobra Kai!

What kind of Karate is he in to?




he's not in karate yet Howard, but I am thinking about enrolling him when he turns 4.




Erin :)

he's not in karate yet Howard, but I am thinking about enrolling him when he turns 4.




Erin :)

I didn't know karate classes were offered to kids that age...!  I'll definitely be more cautious when I step foot into a nursery school.

I didn't know karate classes were offered to kids that age...!  I'll definitely be more cautious when I step foot into a nursery school.




yes, actually there is one school near us that starts them at 3 years old!! :o




Erin :)

he's not in karate yet Howard, but I am thinking about enrolling him when he turns 4.




Erin :)


That's great,I wish your son all the best.

That's great,I wish your son all the best.



Thanks! ;)




Erin :)

that's really cool! How old is your son and how long has he been involved with it?




Erin :)


for a year and a half. He now holds six belts. But, on the age, thing you might want to wait until he's at least five.

Ours won't start them until they're at least 5. WOW!!!  My little guy's only on his yellow belt.  At our school, they won't promote you until you've been at your current level for 6 months, though....they go twice a week for 1 hour each time.


That's a bit odd.

Sounds more like they just want to make money. Especially with the lower grades, normally it's time to be promoted a grade when you have acomplished everything that grade specifys. Learning the Kata, specific manouvers that your instructor thinks you need to learn, knowing some theory (i don't know if they do that?)

Not just, 6 months, you go up.

I hate sports..

But anyway I've given thought to karate just to expand my horizons. Although I mean martial arts(karate is a style).

My uncle(whom is a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do) said I should learn Shotokan; it suits my build.

I hate sports..

But anyway I've given thought to karate just to expand my horizons. Although I mean martial arts(karate is a style).

My uncle(whom is a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do) said I should learn Shotokan; it suits my build.


It might do, it's slower. Ju-Jitsu may work better for you, you can use your size advantage against people. I always used throws in freestyle, but have very fast legs so could use them as well.

Yeah, I am big(not just fat, i have a square big-boned build regardless) and slow, so Shotokan or a similar Japanese power style(maybe Isharu) is the way to go..

Oh, you don't automatically go up every 6 months, but they make you wait at least 6 months before you can.  They say that it takes at least that long to understand the theory behind all the moves....that's it's just not enough to know how to do them, you have to also know WHEN to do them and WHY to do them.  They also (even for the yellow belt) have you spar to make sure you understand when to use the different blocks and stuff.


That all makes sense. I can understand that.

All grades should spar, it's the best possible use of everything that have learned. I still do even now that i don't train anymore. I'll go out in the yard.. with the dog  ;D and get her going psycho, then as she runs at me (she likes to jump on to you and gum you to death) i'll pop a quick round house on her.. literally just touch her, but it keeps speed and technique up.

Ours won't start them until they're at least 5. WOW!!!  My little guy's only on his yellow belt.  At our school, they won't promote you until you've been at your current level for 6 months, though....they go twice a week for 1 hour each time.


They go every four and a half months for testing! He's dead serious about it, though. He goes twice a week for an hour in his advanced class.