Seven Reasons To Get Your Child Into Jiu Jitsu Today
As parents of school-aged children, is there anything more relatable than staring cross-eyed at your computer screen while trying to decide which of the twenty-seven after school activity options you should enroll your child in? You silently argue the pros and cons of each—certain that if you just choose the right combination of options, your child will receive all the necessary enrichment needed to become the confident, capable, and respectful person you’ve been working so hard to shape them into.
Which sports are safe from concussion risks but still allow your growing child the opportunity to get their many wiggles out? Which activity will test your child’s creativity and critical thinking skills? Is there an option that doesn’t break the bank with ninety-three pieces of equipment to buy—only for your child to hate it in three months and no longer need those expensive things that have now taken up unwanted residence in your garage? Which option will accommodate your child’s special needs or focus issues?
What if there was ONE option that met ALL these needs?
No, it’s not a trick. There is one after school activity that is truly the “secret sauce” that encompasses your child’s needs for a positive energy outlet, keeps them safe with self-defense skills and won’t teach them to roundhouse kick their siblings, allows them to utilize their problem-solving skills and can even be an enhancement to occupational or physical therapy needs: Brazilian jiu jitsu.
Here are the top seven reasons why you should enroll your child in jiu jitsu today:
Confidence Without Ego
Jiu jitsu builds confidence in kids of all abilities and body types. Whereas if you are a short kid in basketball, life will be infinitely tougher for you, jiu jitsu can be taught to play to the strengths of virtually any body type. The kid that thinks, rightfully so, that they cannot succeed well in another sport may find that their body is perfectly suited to jiu jitsu.
The first day on the mats rolling with people of higher ranks that know what they’re doing will humble your child quickly—and teach them that humility is the key to success not only on the mats, but in real life. Your child will learn that the toughest people on the mats in jiu jitsu aren’t the stars that walk in and can pound any other kid right away—but rather the kids that got put in submission hold five times in a row and still walked onto the mat for a sixth roll.
Problem Solving on Overdrive
Jiu jitsu is basically physical chess. In order to be successful in this sport, your child will not only have to think about how their own body is positioned at any given moment, but also where their opponent’s body is in relation to theirs. They will need to adjust that view every time either they or their opponent tries to do something like…arm bar them or sit on their head.
Having a constant awareness of body position and constantly looking for a way out or a way to pass their opponent will build cool-headedness and steady thinking under pressure in school and in any future self-defense situation your child may encounter.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Aretha said it best—can I get a little respect? Nothing can set you off as a parent faster than a well-placed eye roll from their child and a swift refusal to clean up after themselves.
Respect is baked right into jiu jitsu. Students bow into and out of class, they listen intently to their coach so as not to be the one ending up in the chokehold later during drills, they roll carefully with their partners to practice new moves, and help other kids learn and grow simply because that’s how the community works, not because they’re told to.
Rough and Tumble—Without the Helmets
Many an argument has been had over the dinner table about whether or not you as a parent are willing to let your child experience brain jarring concussions just because everyone at school plays football or soccer.
Jiu jitsu is reported to be much less prone to head injuries than contact sports like boxing, football, soccer, or judo according to the National Institutes of Health.
Kids WANT to wrestle. It’s part of their genetic make-up and both kids and parents alike are much happier when kids can fulfill that need in a safe way. During a jiu jitsu class, your child will be practicing whole body movements that feel like flying to them but don’t make you cringe with worry on the sidelines.
Grit Between Their Teeth
Okay, not literally. But really, in jiu jitsu, your kid will lose. A lot. And honestly that’s a good thing. One thing that is startlingly obvious in today’s world is that lawn mower parenting, or mowing down all the obstacles or potential failures in front of your kid, has not done children any favors.
Children need to learn to fail in a supportive environment where failure is welcomed and encouraged as part of the learning process. Otherwise, dealing with failure in the real world will be devastating and likely have far greater consequences to their bounce-back abilities than it should.
Warning though—watching your kid get up time and time again after losing to their opponent will likely make you cry. It’s amazing to watch their tenacity grow so much so quickly—and to know that you’re giving them that opportunity.
Beat the Clock—Before It Beats You
According to the Federal Reserve Board yearly data, children spend between 5–7 hours per week per sport or activity. And on average, today’s kids in the U.S. are enrolled in at least 2–3 activities at a time. In short—our kids are overscheduled and lacking in free play time.
Jiu jitsu can rectify that simply because it is a one-stop shop of an activity. Your child will benefit physically from the intense workout, mentally from the problem-solving aspect, and emotionally from the deep bonds and sense of community they will experience at their jiu jitsu gym.
The best part—jiu jitsu classes usually run during the week, competitions are not every single Saturday/Sunday, and you don’t have to sit in the bleachers in 40° weather and rain while watching twenty kids cluster around a soccer ball. Reclaim your weekends for family time—and save your butt from cold metal. Enroll your kid in jiu jitsu.
Safety First
Let’s be honest—in today’s world, parents often do not feel like their kids are safe. This is a valid concern given all that goes on out there. Jiu jitsu is considered the best self-defense option for children.
Jiu jitsu focuses on using leverage and momentum instead of brute strength to submit an opponent or to get away. Therefore, kids can access this self-defense option even if they need to use it against a much larger, stronger person.
Also, the practice of ground fighting and using joint locks can give your child an advantage in a real-world situation that they wouldn’t have if they practiced a combat sport that focuses entirely on striking.
Finally—practicing having someone in their space and grappling with them will give your child the mental capacity and calmness in a real-world situation that might make all the difference.