Secrets of Kensho Black Belt Parents
As parents, we all want the very best for our children. We want them to grow up learning and developing into well adjusted, productive members of society. We want them to achieve and accomplish great things!
This is why we register our kids in martial art in the first place. Martial arts training is great for building positive habits for personal development that can last a lifetime!
However, we sometimes lose sight of what’s really important and what our child may need to learn and go through in order to really get the most out of their training. Please read and keep in mind these great Kensho Parent mindsets to help support your child throughout their martial arts training.
*Black Belt Parents pay attention to what their children are learning in class and reinforce their positive behavior at home. They realize that as parents, they are an important part of the Kensho Team and help their children to improve by working with the instructors and staying informed. Team up for success!
Together Everyone Achieves More!
*Black Belt Parents remember why their child joined in the first place; not just to be promoted and earn belts, but to improve themselves as people. They take a moment to see how their child is improving as a whole person, realizing that rank graduation is just a part of the big picture. Black belt parents also realize that their children have an opportunity to be promoted each month and is up to the instructor to decide if the student is ready, not the parent. Helping our Kensho Kids to be successful and keep progressing is our number one priority. Sometimes the strongest motivation can be to not get what we want. If kids are rewarded without truly earning their rewards, the rewards become meaningless and kids will quickly lose interest. When kids earn their rewards, they get a sense of accomplishment which fuels future success.
*Black Belt Parents know that if they have concerns about their child’s training, progress or about the school, they should make an appointment for a meeting or a telephone conference with the instructor. Black belt parents know that before, during and after class the instructors have a limited amount of time and need to be present for all the kids. When parents or kids have concerns, we want to be able to address these issues thoughtfully and constructively to help find positive solutions. This is just not possible when multi-tasking.
*Black Belt Parents will always help their children set goals both in and out of martial arts. Black belt parents use their student worksheets (personal development logs, intent to promote and black belt training logs) to set martial arts goals with their children. Black belt parents know that goal setting will help their children develop the perseverance and self- discipline needed to stick to commitments and achieve personal success.
Martial Arts training is a lifelong process. Together, we can help our kids stay positive and motivated in their goals, on and off the mat.