What is Best Age to Start Martial Arts in Surrey and Delta?

What is Best Age to Start Martial Arts in Surrey and Delta?

Parents who wish their child to get a head start in life are turning to martial arts – taekwondo in Surrey and Delta.  They know martial arts provides focus, discipline, and leadership skills.  But when is the earliest age that is best?  This is the million dollar question!   From my 50 years experience as a student and instructor in Taekwondo and martial arts in Surrey and Delta, I outline which dynamics can answer this question:

1. Best age and why?
2. Intangible passion a child has for martial arts!
3. Intent on purpose of putting child in martial arts program?
4. Skill sets of instructor that are conducive to kids enjoying their martial initial experience. 
5. Make-up of kid’s program concerning difficulty level of?
6. Benefits of starting early.

 
Best Age to Start and why?
Being a Korean parent, myself, we are particular driven to squeeze out as many life skills for our children at a young age.  We put them in martial arts, music lessons, language lessons, Kumon, etc.  We wish the very best future success for our kids and you are no different!  To put it simply, there is no direct best answer but there are educated answers that fit each unique child.  Children have different personalities which cannot be compared to others.  They are unique!  And as such, I answer according to this main premise.
At Jong Kim Martial Arts in Surrey and Delta, we look at 5yrs old being the earliest to get the best bang for your buck!  The reason is, this is the age they start to enter kindergarten; where kids initially learn social behavior requirements, following a structure routine, and expected norms for behaving through social interaction of what is acceptable or not behaviour.  This coincides with a kid’s taekwondo program in Surrey and Delta!  They form an important symbiotic relationship conducive to a child’s success in whether they can follow a kid’s program or not. 
Taekwondo or martial arts is meant to build a foundation of structured lifestyle, acceptable behaviour, learning basic taekwondo skills, discipline and focus in Surrey and Delta kids.  They must all be intertwined in order to produce successful skill-sets which every parent longs for their kids. 
 
Intangible passion a child has for martial arts!
Some kids who join martial arts in Surrey and Delta, have this incredible passion for taekwondo!  Whether it stemmed from watching Cobra Kai or seeing a karate cartoon.  This piques an incredible passion to this exciting martial arts craze. Their focus for martial arts can be so tunnel visioned that it can create a mind-set for that child to excel in karate program!!!  Have you ever loved learning something in which you passion directly correlates to your success? Sure, of course!  We all have; be it model building, learning to cook, etc.  Kids martial arts is no different.  An excited and enthusiastic child for martial arts drives them to do whatever it takes for mom and dad to let them join and to stay within the program!  Passion goes a long way in life and taekwondo can be a catalyst for success in many areas of school life; such as academics, improved listening skills, and doing chores at home!
 
Intent on purpose of putting child in martial arts program?
Intent can be broken down, generally, into two different camps of thought reasoning.

1. The first camp looks at martial arts in Surrey and Delta as just a fun activity where skill improvement and discipline is secondary.

I tend to focus on the second camp where I look at kid’s taekwondo,  in Surrey and Delta, as fun yes! But, I emphasize value!  Value is derived with a balance of kids learning a structured lesson plan which develops taekwondo skills and behaviour traits which Easter martial arts culture is known for.  Eastern culture places a strong emphasis on discipline and respect.  Authoritative versus Authoritarian schools of thought is crucial in a martial arts school’s approach to teaching students martial arts in Surrey or Delta!
Authoritative parenting is a parenting style or approach in which parents are responsive, supportive, and nurturing while setting firm limits on their children.
Authoritarian parenting is another parenting style or approach in which parents are very rigid and use tough rules to control children’s behavior.
At Jong Kim Martial Arts in Surrey and Delta, we believe the best approach to teach kid’s martial arts is a combination of these two ideals!  And we have seen excellent results when sincere care goes into teaching kids.  They are not just customers!  Kids are human beings who needed to be treated with respect, honor, and valued self worth!  Healthy kids are those whose parent and teachers set healthy boundaries of social behavior; as a major study has proven.  They want and need guidelines to what is acceptable or not acceptable in their life’s boundaries. 
 
Skill sets of instructors that are conducive to kids enjoying their martial initial experience?
Instructors who excel are those who are personable!  They must genuinely have a heart for patience and understanding when it comes to instructing kids in martial arts in my opinion.  Instructors need to be the adults; but at the same time, look at teaching from the perspective of a child.  By incorporating this frame of thought, instructors can be extremely effective in their endeavour to introduce the proper foundation necessary for success in martial arts in Surrey and Delta!
 
In summary, some kids have the above attributes as early as 4.5 yrs; while others start to have it at 8-10 yrs of age!  It based on a case-by-case scenario of looking deep into each child’s unique personality and character traits and maturity level.   Generally, I agree 5yr is the earliest age one should start martial arts.  I sincerely hope this has been helpful.  The reason I wrote this is because I never read a definitive and thoughtful answer to this age-old question. 
 
Jong Kim Martial Arts in Surrey welcome your child to try a free class to see if it’s a right fit for you child! 
 
Sincerely,
Master Edward Kim
9th Dan Black Belt
 
c/o :
Jong Kim Martial Arts – Surrey – Taekwondo.
Unit 136 – 7536 130 Street,
Surrey, BC,
V3W 1H8.
604-590-1000

www.jktkd.ca