When looking for appropriate after-school extracurricular activities for a 6-year-old, you must take into account his temperament and interests. If you struggle with your child's behavior, a more disciplined and respectful sport, such as any of the martial arts, might be more appropriate than traditional sports. Martial arts give your 6-year-old a chance to learn about respect, routine and hard work, and participation might allow you to see improvement in your child's behavior.
Fitness and ADHD
While physical fitness might not seem like a behavioral benefit, allowing your child to be physically active can help improve his behavior. A study published in the September 2010 issue of "Journal of Attention Disorders" found that a regular exercise program resulted in better cognition and behavior reports for children with ADHD. As a type of physical activity, martial arts can certainly help reduce ADHD symptoms such as inattention, poor cognition and hyperactivity.
Discipline
Any one of the martial arts, from karate to kung fu to tae kwon do, teaches discipline of the body and the mind. While some parents might mistakenly think that martial arts could make their child more aggressive and violent, martial artists teach sparring with respect to your opponent. Since most often progression is awarded through colored belts after meeting set requirements, it teaches your 6 year old to work hard in order to attain the next level while learning about exercising control over her body and mind.
Socialization
Your child will address his martial arts teacher as "master" or "sensai." At age 6, he is beginning to interact with adults as teachers and parents and must offer the utmost respect for his martial arts master. This gives the opportunity to teach about proper socialization and respect for adults in his life. By the same token, he learns to show respect to his opponents. Most martial arts matches begin with bowing or other signs of respect and end with the same. Martial arts provide a valuable opportunity for an individual sport with the benefits of training in a group.
Confidence
When children feel badly about themselves, they might lash out in undesirable ways, such as bullying. Joining a martial arts class can help give your child confidence so she doesn't feel the need to cause problems or belittle other children for attention. When your child receives positive attention and feedback from parents, adults and other children, it raises her confidence level. Similarly, a child who knows how to properly defend herself and wield that power appropriately and with respect can be more confident in her abilities, spurring better overall behavior.
References
- "Journal of Attention Disorders"; A Physical Activity Program Improves Behaviour and Cognitive Functions in Children With ADHD: An Exploratory Study; Claudia Verret et al.; Sept. 2010
- "Better Homes and Gardens"; The Benefits of Martial Arts for Kids; Nancy Christie
- "Parenting"; Karate Kids: The Benefits of Martial Arts; Alison Hendrie
- "Psychology Today"; Martial Arts and ADD/ADHD; Michael J. Formica; July 2008
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