April 2nd is Family Day, and it’s the ideal time to talk about how to find family activities. If you have kids of different ages, then you know how challenging it can be to find things to do as a group. What excites your 10-year-old daughter is likely to bore your 7-year-old son – and vice versa.
There’s one exception that we know of – and that’s taking martial arts classes! Studying the martial arts is fun for people of all ages. It’s a great way to learn something new, get in shape, and discover common ground with the people who matter most to you. Here are some of the best reasons to study martial arts as a family.
#1: Making Exercise a Priority is Good for Everyone
People with kids sometimes struggle to make time in their busy schedules for exercise. And, a lot of kids would be content to spend their days sitting in front of a video game or television.
The solution? Signing the whole family up to study martial arts! As parents, you’ll be setting a good example by practicing what you preach about exercise. Kids will have a chance to burn off some of the excess energy they have, and the whole family can improve their health by getting regular workouts.
#2: Finding Common Ground Will Bring You Closer
When you do things together as a family, you build strong bonds that bring you closer. Even though you and your kids will be in separate classes, we think martial arts still qualifies as a group activity because you’ll all be pursuing similar goals.
In your free time, you’ll be able to talk about what you’ve learned. You may decide to practice together as a family – and you can attend competitions or go see the latest martial arts movie together. These things can all help you find common ground with one another.
#3: Learning the Five Tenets Improves Interpersonal Relationships
The five tenets of martial arts are the core of what you’ll learn in class – and they go far beyond the physical movements you’ll be working to master. In fact, practicing self-control, courtesy, and persistence will help you in every area of your life.
Families who study martial arts together find that their ability to focus on what’s important improves as a result. You’ll all learn to be aware of each other’s needs and to respect one another. Those are important lessons for kids, siblings, and parents.
#4: Studying Martial Arts is Fun
Anything you’re going to do as a family should be fun – and martial arts classes are! A good martial arts class is a social event combined with a great workout. You’ll get a boost of feel- good hormones after class and the whole family will be smiling.
Kids who might balk at doing a “boring” family activity will look forward to learning how to execute perfects kicks and punches or break a board with their fist. You won’t have to worry about whether the whole family will enjoy studying martial arts – they will!
