| If you have a child with Attention Deficit | | | | consider negative character issues are actually |
| Hyperactivity Disorder, then you have a wonderfully | | | | positives. |
| gifted child. The ADHD child is spontaneous, creative | | | | Children learn the "right action" at the right moment |
| and can hyper focus on a task they find interesting. | | | | which tempers impulsiveness and turns it into a |
| Conversely, this same child is a challenge to parents | | | | positive action. Boredom is negligible due to the fast |
| because they can often be aggressive, hyper, | | | | active pace of a martial arts class that is full of |
| distractible and impulsive. The world views these | | | | jumping and spinning, punching and kicking; the |
| children as "hard to handle" which can permanently | | | | hyperactive child can unleash behavior in an |
| harm self-esteem. | | | | appropriate way and be praised for it. |
| All children are impulsive, inattentive and easily | | | | And martial arts training focuses on respect and |
| distracted from time to time, but the ADHD child | | | | tolerance for others while receiving the same |
| lives with these attributes frequently. You can aid | | | | regardless of what label may have been given in |
| your ADHD child by showing her how these character | | | | other environments. |
| traits are an advantage, not a disadvantage. | | | | ADHD is not exclusive to boys. Girls are more often |
| In spite of its name, ADHD is not only a lack of | | | | diagnosed with ADD which is the same issue without |
| attentiveness but the ability to exert more focused | | | | the hyperactivity in equal numbers to boys with |
| attention on a chosen topic. Those with ADHD don't | | | | ADHD. This "difference", because it's not exactly a |
| lack focus but often focus inappropriately. They have | | | | disorder, is genetic. A rather large study discovered |
| little tolerance for inactivity and are bored quickly. | | | | that 25% of ADHD children have one parent with |
| A sport can be either a positive or nonconstructive | | | | Attention Deficit. |
| experience for all children, but for the ADHD child | | | | You can't outgrow Attention Deficit, so it becomes |
| even more so. Spending excess energy is always | | | | crucial to find ways to lessen the burdens of the |
| good for the ADHD child; however, playing on a team | | | | disadvantages. Help your child learn to see the |
| can be difficult for her if she can't learn the rules of | | | | constructive aspects of their character and turn |
| play or fulfill the role the team needs. | | | | those traits into successes. |
| Martial arts, like tae kwon do, can be immensely | | | | The child with Attention Deficit bears the same |
| therapeutic for the ADHD child because it allows | | | | positive characteristics that are cultivated by the |
| aggressive behavior in a safely controlled | | | | successful in society. Artists, entrepreneurs, politicians |
| environment. Directions are given by an instructor and | | | | and athletes are a few of the successful people |
| immediately acted upon so there is a sense of | | | | whom history has described with classic ADHD traits. |
| relevance and immediate satisfaction. | | | | Some of the most creative, intense, spontaneous, |
| A martial art like tae kwon do always emphasizes | | | | tenacious and quick thinking people in history have |
| self-confidence, self-esteem and self-control as part | | | | probably had ADHD; Thomas Edison, Mozart and |
| of the curriculum. This is important for the ADHD child | | | | Winston Churchill to name but a few. That's not bad |
| to have the confidence to believe what many | | | | company at all. |