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