As a parent, is it alright that…

• You see your child come home from school all dirty and crying, only to find out that he was picked on by bullies?
• Your child prefers to stay home and play with gadgets rather than go out and play with his or her peers?
• You feel compelled to do everything for your child without giving him or her the opportunity to become independent?

We both know that your answer is NO, but these are PARENTING REALITIES. And it’s time that YOU PUT AN END TO ALL THESE SITUATIONS RIGHT AT THIS VERY MOMENT!

AND YES, YOU CAN DO THAT. WE CAN DO THAT THROUGH AIKIDO TRAINING!

Yes, this is my parenting secret: I have enrolled Anne and Kevin to a special class that’s been helping them develop the character values that they will find useful in all aspects in life, and that is AIKIDO.

Sure, you may be asking, of all martial arts classes to choose from, I settled with Aikido. My answer is plain and simple:

Aikido Training

AIKIDO PROVIDES NO LESS THAN HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT-exactly what children need.

A non-combat Japanese self-defence martial art, Aikido trains your child to:

• Become more confident and develop a sense of self-worth and self-respect
• Enhance their social skills by fostering respect for others, including his peers
• Exercise focus and discipline in almost all life activities, including academic studies
• Develop physical strength, flexibility and mind-body coordination
• Know how to do basic self defence and become more vigilant in various kinds of situations

Truth be told, at first I was not convinced about the benefits of Aikido, as there are other more popular martial arts in which my fellow parents enrolled their kids in. But thankfully I have found a place that teaches contemporary Aikido for kids as young as mine, a community that’s safe and welcoming to persons who want to learn the discipline to develop their aspirations as individuals: aikiForest.

No place else to trust but Singapore’s premier leading Aikido learning school for children aged 5 to 9 years old

Since 2011, aikiForest has trained over 5,000 students between the ages of 5 – 9 years of age, and currently has 2,000 active members and partnerships with over 50 pre-schools and other educational institutions.

The 2-PRONG APPROACH TO LEARNING AIKIDO

Unlike other Aikido schools that only focus on the discipline and techniques, aikiForest follows a 2-prong approach towards this form of martial art, making it both a structured and progressive training experience:

1.) Social, Emotional and Character Building

• Children connect with teachers through various activities, including stories and play;
• Provide them with a better understanding of rules and etiquette;
• Maintain longer and longer FOCUS with Aikido practice;
• Cultivate essential Aikido VALUES (Caring, Concentration, Cooperation, Confidence);
• Learn to PARTNER safely by working together;
• Grow into a LEADER: leading warm-ups, leading groups, and helping peers.

2.) Physical Technical Development

• Building FUNDAMENTAL MOTOR SKILLS;
• Learning FOUNDATIONAL AIKIDO MOVEMENTS;
• Practicing BREAKFALLS for self-defence and protection;
• Improving motor COORDINATION through basic Aikido techniques;
• Exercise CONTROL of a partner safely;
• Display AWARENESS of surroundings and reaction to SITUATIONS.

Every parent fears of not being able to raise their children well. Every mom and dad wants nothing but for their kids to learn and possess the skills (beyond academic achievements) that will prepare them for this game called LIFE.

I have no regrets in enrolling Anne and Kevin at aikiForest. They have been taking regular Aikido classes already, and I am seeing that they are starting to be more aware of their surroundings, both in their actions and with their attitudes towards everyday situations. These simple instances-and how they deal with them, already make me proud. They’re growing up fast, and these lessons are things I don’t want them to miss out.