The first premise we must realize is discipline is not punishment. Children like structure and don’t do well with gray area. That’s the real issue, balancing the structure and discipline, with the spontaneity of childhood. Another words balance. Find something a child loves and instill discipline with it.
Discipline is a form of self-control to delay gratification and do what’s important first. Parents must look at what is in the long term best interest for the child. We all know that the child will grow up fast. We want to prepare them to not only survive but succeed in an adult world when they are grown.
A person’s foundation starts and develops through their childhood. If the child is taught discipline, they are going to have developed during that period winning habits. Most successful people start their craft at a very young age. You get a head start over those who started later (see the book “The Outliers”). Here are some successful people that started at a young age and became mega stars:
Michael Jackson
Michael Phelps
Mozart
Wayne Gretzky
Tom Brady
You might say “some of these guys had problems as an adult. This was because of over structure and discipline as a child. But what stars they became, so we know it works. This is where the balance comes in. If you have to lean one way, most studies show the child is better off with a “tiger mom” then an over permissive one.
This is why Martial Arts are so good for a child. It accelerates maturity, yet its fun. You might say it is structured spontaneity with new challenges all the time. But we approach those new challenges with discipline and strategy.
This article was written by Master Jack DeSousa 6th Dan Black Belt in Taekwon-Do and has ranking in Hapkido . Master DeSousa has been in the Martial Arts since 1982. Master DeSousa founded Martial Arts Advantage (formerly known as North West Taekwon-Do in 2003. Martial Arts Advantage is located in Centerton AR, but also serves Bentonville, Gravette, Bella Vista, Cave Springs Pea Ridge, and Rogers. Our school is proud to have graduated over 125 Black Belts, making the communities of Northwest Arkansas better, one Black Belt at a time. Please check us out on Facebook at www.facebook/martial arts advantage of Centerton