Encourage your teens to learn the art of self-defense

The term ‘good old days’ is frequently used by the preceding generations to communicate to the younger generation of today that their times were better than what the contemporary children are experiencing. When this happens, topics like peace, strong economy and efficient justice system usually spring up during the course of the discussion. Parents like to tell their teenage stock how times have changed for the worst and how they are more exposed to everyday dangers due to failing economy and a constantly warring world. Bullying at schools and street crimes outside educational institutions are also points of concern. Parents, instead of instilling fear in the impressionable minds of their children, should rather guide them towards arming themselves against tough situations and unlikely confrontations. Encouraging them to undergo the basic training in self defense would work miracles for them outside combat situations and in their everyday lives. So what are you waiting for? Make haste and enroll your children in a nearby martial arts class and make Bruce Lee proud.

Learning to land a punch for free

Center for Anti-Violence Education (CAE) teaches self-defense courses to members of all age groups, especially young females. Founded in 1974, the CAE strives hard for women empowerment, helps young people fight against the bitter pangs of past abuse, and to arrest the cycles of ongoing violence in their lives. Since its inception, the Center has reached 56,000 people with their diversified violence prevention initiatives. An important part of this initiative is the Children Empowerment Project for boys and girls of ages 6-14. The CAE is situated in Brooklyn, but similar initiatives can also be found in other areas.

What can teens learn from these courses?

The courses taught at such centers or groups mix physical training with mental exercises to help hone the skills of young students. Discussions related to major safety concerns for the youth, especially young women, are undertaken at every gathering. In addition, children are also educated about bullying in schools or on the internet, sexual abuse, and holding off an armed attacker. Strategies to creatively counter violence are formulated by the youth in brainstorming sessions held frequently at such classes/gatherings.

Benefits associated with self-defense

Learning self-defense empowers the youth to such an extent that the impact of the entire initiative shows clearly in their personality and physical appearance of the under training youngsters. Their confidence swells up manifold and the youngsters start looking for different avenues to venture upon. The training schedules will also keep your children away from boredom that can ultimately leads towards drug addiction. Parents should specifically inform their children, raring to join self-defense classes, that martial arts are forms of defensive arts at the core and should not be applied to the benefit of aggression. The earlier your children learn this rule, the better it is. Why? Because possessing a combination of lethal moves that can take the ire out of the fire and not applying them unless one’s security is greatly at stake, would discipline the children such that they would start contemplating about issues that really matter in real life. When the thought of getting beaten up by a certain guy and facing humiliation at the hands of a certain gal is discarded by the youngsters, they would achieve clarity of thought to follow any course of action that they have decided for themselves.

A note for parents: Children do better when they feel better.

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