There are a wide variety of activities available for children of all ages; almost as many options as there are children, period. As a parent, I had to set some parameters based on what I think my children would like, and where they needed skill development, before we got to the point where I had to choose.
One of the choices I made for my son was to enroll him at a martial arts school. I had an idea of what style I wanted based on what I had previously studied, and his body type and coordination skills. But more important than style, to me, was the atmosphere in each class.
If a martial arts school has really small classes, especially after the school has been established for awhile...that's a huge red flag for me. It means the kids who are signing up aren't sticking with it long enough for more students to come in and grow the program. There may be problems with the school's location or advertising, but more likely than not, a lack of students is a reflection on poor quality of instruction.
Even if it is a business problem, and the teachers are good...that's not enough. There has to be a solid energy level in the room, to encourage the kids to work hard and want to be there. For kids, a quiet room is rarely a fun room. And if they aren't having fun, they won't want to continue the activity.
So, you've found a martial arts school where there are at least 6-8 kids in each class, your child is having a good time, and you're happy. The school is doing a good job of attracting more martial arts students, and the kids' class size continues to grow. If classes are consistently bigger than 10-12, however, there will be problems with the focus of the overall group, and the individual attention paid to each student. At that point, your school should do one of two things...and probably both.
First, they should look at offering an additional class. It may be difficult due to facility or instructor schedules, but a good martial arts academy will go out of their way to make the effort to split the classes. The split may be arbitrary or based on age or skill level...but if possible, it should happen.
Second, the school should have an assistant instructor to help the head instructor with the larger kids' classes. Honestly, this is a great idea regardless of class size. Where my son has been taking Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, they have two of the teenage students helping out the kids. They are each blue belts in rank, so they know their stuff. But being only a few years older than the children in the class, they can relate in ways that an adult can't.
The best advice I can give is to do your homework. If you know nothing about martial arts, learn about the different styles ahead of time. Think about whether you want your son or daughter to be striking (kicking & punching) or grappling (throwing & ground submission techniques). Visit several schools and watch how they do things. Is this the environment you want your child in?
And if things aren't growing and progressing how you want them to...don't be afraid to change. Find another school in that style, or even switch styles. When it comes to kids, they'll adapt far more easily than we think, especially if they're having fun and learning new things.
Paul Herzog and his son Christopher have been taking judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instruction at Petushin Martial Arts since the new Rosemount, Minnesota facility opened in 2010. In addition to receiving some of the best grappling instruction in the Midwest, Paul has lost 30 pounds, and Chris has gained strength and self-confidence. If either of those sound appealing, please contact the academy at 612-991-9116 to arrange your first visit!
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