These days, it is easily favored or rather widely accepted to give kids smartphones or tablets to control their tantrums or put their favorite show on TV to impose discipline. Little do we know, these gadgets may badly affect them. Today’s devices have actually been observed to interfere with our children’s ability to socialize with other children hence brings up isolation problems, lack of self-confidence and other health issues.

Introducing some physical activities to your child could provide better benefits instead. Do you feel scared that your child might get bullied in school one of these days? Or that they don’t have any idea on how to defend themselves when the time comes? Martial Arts could actually be the answer to your problem.

Below are 6 reasons why martial arts could be the right sport for your child:

Boosts Confidence through Learning Self-defense

Introducing martial arts to your child doesn’t really mean that you encourage fighting and grappling. It actually signifies that confidence can be learned in trying to master how self-defense works. Take Judo, for example, although it is a grappling-focused martial art, it also teaches how to get out from the attacker by learning how to fall safely. So it’s not always about hurting people. Sometimes, it’s about saving your own life and staying out of danger.

Builds Social Skills

Doing martial arts training allows your kids to start new interactions, may it be with the instructor or their fellow new learners. It lets them get out of their comfort zones and helps them learn how to break the ice with a stranger. Simply asking questions when something’s not clear is a sign that your child is ready to build new social skills.

Imposes Discipline and Teaches Focus

Studies show that at two-and-a-half-year-olds can already focus on a certain toy. With all the distractions present around children these days, though, such trait can be a struggle to inflict on a child. Not to mention, imposing self-discipline too. While learning martial arts, both can be taught in a more practical and interesting manner.

Gives Your Child a More Active Life

Venturing into sports is not the only way to be active, doing martial arts training does it too. It develops balance and agility as your child learn new poses and transitions every time. Muscle strength can be improved too with body-weights during training. And lastly, aerobic fitness will progress, which enables your child to recover quicker even after high-intensity routines.

Martial Arts Improves the Mind

As the physical aspect improves, so does the mental aspect because the two are connected. Channelling the mind to control the body more helps alleviate stressful thinking thus improving one’s mental health.

Develops Conflict Resolution

The misconception of most parents when it comes to their children learning martial arts is that it is too aggressive or it only encourages fighting and violence. However, that is not the case. One of the skills martial arts teaches is the art of conflict resolution. As martial arts lets your body connect to your mind, it then avoids making impulsive decisions. It will definitely allow your child to verify the situation before letting loose the newly acquired transition of karate.

As a parent, it is understandable that you’d only want what is the best for your child. And again, introducing a self-defence focused activity is not really a bad thing at all. We need to accept the fact as well that being a parent is harder during these times due to so many distractions you may have to continuously compete with, for your child’s attention. Well, you will be surprised how learning martial arts can actually teach your child some of the best traits you’re actually struggling to teach your children.