Preparing Children For Tomorrow

Our students learn to support each other wholeheartedly with positive reinforcement, which creates a pleasurable environment to learn in. They receive no criticism or punishment. Rather than pointing out the wrong way, we show them a better way by redirecting or correcting the movements and techniques.

We also downplay competition. Young children can’t distinguish between winning/losing in a competition and winning/losing in real life. When children lose in a contest, they often feel like they have lost in life as well. Since the child is still forming his or her sense of self, this belief is negative reinforcement and detrimental to their growth. Even in school, children compete against each other for high grades and praise, and much of the curriculum involves abstract analytical skills and facts. At Monroe Martial Arts, we understand that learning comes not only from the intellect, but also from interactions with other people and knowing that you really can achieve your goals!

Children learn to encourage others to grow, to support each other, to be patient, to share, to behave with decorum and to compassionately relate with, rather than compete against, each other. In our protective, affirming environment, children can relax, make friends, learn, enjoy their training, and develop pride with humility. They learn to keep a clear, strong mind; they learn about commitment and persistence; they learn that achievement takes time;

Training will also improve a child’s Emotional Quotient (EQ) by teaching inner strength, leadership skills, good manners, self-respect, and esteem for others. Young students learn to motivate themselves, overcome adversity, break free of limitations, and cultivate winning from within rather than competing against others! People with a high EQ have been proven to be more successful, because success is developed with more EQ than IQ.

According to the A. C. Nielsen Company, the average American watches 3 hours and 46 minutes of TV each day (that’s more than 52 days of nonstop watching per year). Teenage suicide rates are climbing, the number of children living with single parents is rising rapidly, and white-collar crimes are on the increase. Character development, based on values appropriate for today—humility, honesty, gentleness, perseverance, dependability and self-responsibility—could be the solution to these social problems. We strive to meet this need by putting character development at the heart of self-development.

Sports training has little to do with health—the goal is winning. Competitions overstress the body with high-intensity workouts that overtax the immune system and cause injuries. Statistics show more than 10,000,000 sports injuries are treated each year in the United States. At Monroe Martial Arts, children may train at any age and enjoy the benefits of fitness and longevity! We encourage all our students to exercise regularly and to live a wholesome lifestyle.

• We promote only healthy competition – no sparring or tournament fighting.