I am a big fan of the "it takes a village" thought of raising children. Not that I am going to send my son out in public unattended so he can bore the masses with his complex math equations and unbridled energy when his ADHD is uncontrolled. Even my sweet and calm daughter would talk the ears of anyone who will listen-if she can stop the cartwheels and handstands long enough. No, I am talking about the people that have such an impact on our children's lives. Their teachers, family friends, their friend's parents, and their coaches. These individuals have a much bigger hand in raising children than they are given credit for. I have watched both my daughter and my son walk into their respective classes feeling defeated at times. Maybe they had a bad day or they didn't feel like they were ready for a testing or a class. But then they walk out with a smile on their face and their shoulders back. As much as I would like to take that credit, sometimes I can't. Often it is their coach or instructor that gave my children the encouragement I just couldn't find the right words for.
My son is a unique little guy, with his genius-status and his ADHD. It is as easy to love him as it is to feel exasperated by him. But being twice-exceptional comes with its challenges. He is extremely hard on himself, his talents lay in his head and not in athletics, he is painfully emotional, and he is often very distracted. All that together makes sports (especially team sports) very difficult for him. We had been through multiple sports that he "loved" but just couldn't improve at-which would make him very upset with himself when he couldn't make a basket or score a goal. So, we had given up on any sports-type activities and decided we would stick with the chess-that he LOVES. But he still wanted something more.
Then came first grade, when my sweet son encountered his very first bully. And I do mean bully in every sense of the word. He pulled on the back of my son's hoodies to choke him, he threatened to beat him up, he hit him a time or two, pushed him down, got in his face-you name it and this kid did it. What made it worse was that, to this day, my son seems to think it is his duty to stand up for kids who are getting picked on. Which just doubles how often he gets picked on. So when I came across a Groupon for ATA Family Martial Arts I figured at the very least we could give my son some confidence while he got beat up. Maybe he could learn to block a punch or two, or maybe someone else telling him to run away or to get a teacher would sink in because my words weren't doing it. So we tried it.
From the first day we started I have loved this place. My son enjoys being there, it is close enough to a "sport" for him, it is a team only in the sense that they support each other, it burns off some energy and everyone is so nice. What really sold me though, was the support we found there. Early on, I told my son to use the moves he was learning to block the punches if they came or to hold his body steady so he wouldn't get pushed down. He told me that he didn't want to get in trouble if he used Taekwondo at school. So we ended up having a talk with Mrs. Rieger, the program director. She has a big heart and holds the "motherly" role at our ATA. She told my son that avoiding the situation all together was the first thing to try, and getting teachers involved or removing yourself from a situation is just fine and should be tried first. He is never to use anything he learns to hurt anyone, but if it comes down to him getting physically hurt, she would never be mad at him for using his skills to DEFEND himself. Since that talk my son has been more confident. There have still been issues at school, but he feels more secure that he can avoid "getting squashed like an ant" (his words!). He feels better about walking away from a situation and not caring what the kid says, and he even walks with more confidence, which keeps some kids from trying to pick on him in the first place.
It isn't all about bullying, though. It is also about leadership, fitness, confidence and self-awareness. As I mentioned, my son is very hard on himself. When he practices and tries so hard, only to have his ADHD get him distracted and forget what he learned he gets frustrated. All that frustration in such a little body often comes out in tears of anger, frustration-and then embarrassment because he is crying in front of others. Since I am just mom, I can tell him fifty times that it will be okay and he will get it etc etc. He already knows that he has my support. But just one smile from his instructor, Mr. Kraus, and a little pep-talk about how they will get it together and that he is not upset with my son calms my son down and makes him feel better to know he isn't alone and Mr. Kraus won't let him fail. Knowing he has the support of his instructors gives him even more security and a belief in himself because there are people other than mom and dad that believe in him. It isn't just my son that gets this treatment. Mr. Kraus and the rest of the staff know each of the kids well. They are aware of what they are capable of, they push them without making the kids feel defeated, and they encourage them without pitying them. And the students encourage each other as well. When my son gets frustrated or feels down on his performance, there is always a kid to give him a high five and tell him he is doing great. When he does something great, there is a class full of kids cheering him on. Since the atmosphere is so positive, bullying isn't an issue. It isn't allowed, it is unacceptable, and thus it doesn't happen.
I could go on about all of the wonderful things about ATA, but to sum it up it truly feels like an extended family. Even sitting on the sidelines you become familiar with other kids and cheer them on when they finally nail something they are learning or are testing for a belt. The little celebrations for holidays throughout the year make it even more close-knit and give the kids a chance to have some fun with their instructors and friends. They even sometimes offer safety classes-my daughter still thinks it is fun to show people how to "drop like a rock" if someone tries to grab her. It is SO much more than just a martial arts class. It is a lifestyle, and they are a part of my "village".
Check out ATA for yourself! They offer a free 3-week trial so you can see for yourself what so many of us already know and love!
This is not a sponsored post, simply my honest review!
