Kid’s Martial Arts: Struggling and Challenging
Kid’s martial arts: struggling vs. challenging.
Most people do not enjoy the struggle. Actually, it seems that people avoid a struggle whenever possible. I want to say that struggle is something necessary for growth when it’s viewed as a challenge. I also believe that there is a difference between something viewed as a struggle and something viewed as a challenge. It can get semantic but there is a distinction in many cases. Struggles and challenges occur everywhere in life: at work, in our families relationships with one another, in sports, and even in our most passionate endeavors.
Questions in kid’s martial arts class
Here are some definitions from dictionary.com:
strug·gle verb (used without object)
1. to contend with an adversary or opposing force.
2. to contend resolutely with a task, problem, etc.; strive: to struggle for existence.
3. to advance with violent effort: to struggle through the snow.
chal·lenge adjective
noun
1. a call or summons to engage in any contest, as of skill, strength, etc.
2. something by it’s very nature or character serves as a call to battle, contest, special effort, etc.
3. a call to fight, as a battle, a duel, etc.
4. a demand to explain, justify, etc.: a challenge to the treasurer to itemize expenditures.
5. difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it.
Coach Amanda coaching kid’s martial arts class
Kid’s Martial Arts are no exception to struggle or challenges…
As a matter of fact, I would venture to say that children engaged in kid’s martial arts classes are subject to just as many challenges and struggles as any child involved in team/school sports. This makes it a microcosm of learning that can prepare the child for all challenges and struggles in life, not just in their kid’s martial arts class. We’ve all heard the cliches that nothing worth having comes easy. I posit that a challenge a struggle is somewhat necessary to go beyond where you have been. I’ll give an example: My daughter is learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and when she started she wasn’t timid be she would get beat often and had to learn to tap. This experience is the same for everyone regardless of age when they start BJJ and not just kid’s martial arts. She has been training fairly consistently now and I can see, it’s like I see the wheels in her head churning and problem solving, that she is far more competent and confident because of those early struggles. Sam Harris describes it this way in his article The Pleasures of Drowning:
Kid’s martial arts and the lessons
In the end if we’re to grow, if children are to learn in their kid’s martial arts class or in life, there has to be a challenge and a struggle. I’ve seen my daughter grow and I’ve seen her set an example for her younger brother who also loves watching her in her class as I do. Her kid’s martial arts class offers a safe place for her to be challenged and to see where she struggles and learn from those struggles.
kids in their kid’s martial arts class.
