Have you ever tried to ask your 7 to 9-year-old, a question or to make a decision under pressure? Or worse, had them try to tell you a story in a limited amount of time? “So this one time…. You know how like, sometimes, if you like, like sometimes… I mean, yesterday, like this one […]
Children’s challenging behaviors have long been the focus of adults’ pessimistic viewpoint of characteristics that don’t fit the mold of societal expectations. This rigid “deficit thinking” causes parents to complain about their child’s qualities and make them try to “fix” what is wrong or make excuses as to why they can’t do certain things. However, […]
Most are aware of the benefits of physical activity for people of all ages… a stronger cardiovascular system, improved muscle tone, weight management, motor coordination, etc. Additionally, there are brain-boosting benefits that help children with brain function and learning, leading to better school performance. Unfortunately, however, many adults aren’t knowledgeable about the significance of underdeveloped […]
Over the last year, sports programs have had shortened seasons, if any at all. Because of that, training time for athletes of all ages has dropped significantly. Now, with sports returning to a more normal duration, young athletes are working hard to regain lost skills and recondition their bodies. The problem, however, is that lengthy […]
Hey parents of Millbury, Worcester, and Grafton, Massachusetts (and all surrounding areas!). I’m certain you know exercise is great for every kid. But, kids who think and learn differently can have a hard time finding a sport that suits them. Find out why martial arts and Kung Fu might be a good fit for your […]
Productivity is one of the most highly regarded traits in the work world today. And to be productive, multitasking is the go-to method. The ability to switch between multiple tasks rapidly is seen as a special skill, but it stifles productivity and increases the likelihood of making mistakes. But with the growing flood of information […]
Attention span has long been a topic regarding the relationship between children and learning. As the years have passed, technology has been at the forefront of our everyday lives. This has caused the concern for inattentiveness to become even more of an issue. Children are constantly presented with new and exciting things that catch their […]
Teaching children the Life Skill KINDNESS will help them experience more positive feelings, which is key to overriding negative expressions. Here is a guideline on ways we can guide children to help them build their capacity for KINDNESS: ~Teach them how to put their best foot forward with others. ~Teach them how to do good […]
Productivity is one of the most highly regarded traits in the work world today. And to be productive, multitasking is the go-to method. The ability to switch between multiple tasks rapidly is seen as a special skill, but it stifles productivity and increases the likelihood of making mistakes. But with the growing flood of information […]
Attention span has long been a topic regarding the relationship between children and learning. As the years have passed, technology has been at the forefront of our everyday lives. This has caused the concern for inattentiveness to become even more of an issue. Children are constantly presented with new and exciting things that catch their […]
In recent years, parenting has undergone a shift and has become hyper-focused on the child. And while care, attention, and love are necessary for forming healthy attachments and helping children reach developmental milestones, an over-protective or coddling type approach can also hinder them. Rest assured, this parenting tactic comes from a place of love but […]
Usually, we think of motivation in one of two ways: A. Do it right & you’ll get…[Reward] B. Do it wrong & you’ll get …[Punishment] This is a very simplistic model of motivation, but to be fair, most adults don’t study the psychology of motivation when prepping to become parents. Let’s talk about two basic […]
Goal setting is a characteristic that significantly links an individual to their future success. Having the right mindset is crucial and encourages our behaviors as we encounter different challenges. Since our mindset incorporates our own beliefs about skills and abilities that we possess, we must have a growth mindset and teach children the power of […]
We’ve all set goals, to some degree, throughout our lives. Some were easily achieved while others we just gave up on completing. This is because most plans are either set in the comfort zone or the danger zone. And while our initial motivation generally puts on a path to setting lofty goals, it can lead […]
How often have we asked our children to do something and right away you hear something along the lines of, “I don’t want to” or “Do I have to?”. At Life Skill, we are teaching students that to have Discipline means to obey the rules and Do What Is Right. They learn that there should […]
Research shows that disciplined children have more opportunities in life. Why? Because they learn how to take care of the simple things in life while also setting and achieving big audacious goals. They take academic studies seriously, they treat others with respect, and strive to become better people every day. Now, there is a step […]
When people generally think of “play” they think of fun and games…something simply for amusement and nothing more. However, there is a bigger, and more important, piece that is often overlooked…learning. As Kay Redfield Jamison said, “Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” The same […]
Utilizing Oxytocin to Strengthen Connection Oxytocin is best known as the “love chemical” and is released when we feel love. And while it is generally associated with the parent-child bond and more in-depth relationships, it is also significant in overall human connections. With all the stress and pressures of the world today, many children go […]
Boosting Dopamine in Constructive Ways Nowadays it seems that children are only interested in their video games, smart phones, and social media platforms. Parents are frustrated with their children’s lack of motivation for and attention to other activities that they are at a loss as to what to do. Therefore, parents often respond by taking […]
Today, I’d like to shift my focus and talk about the mental benefits of martial arts, starting with – you guessed it – Focus. You know that our Childhood Development Programs provide students with a fun and intense cardiovascular workout. What you may not know is that they’re also good for our brains. You see, […]
Programs for children are all around us. From day care centers to recreational sports and everything in between, options for parents to choose from are abounding. And although parents want what is best for their children, they often aren’t aware of the notable distinctions between the programs they are considering. To get the most out […]
As the school year gets underway, reality is showing up and many of us parents have been scrambling to get ourselves and our children back on a productive path. In the book “The 7 Habits of Happy Kids” by Sean Covey habit three is “Work First, Then Play.” While time doing homework has always been […]
What Is A Life Skill School? How is our academy a Life Skill school? Our coaches use martial arts as a tool to teach Life Skills. Other schools say they teach Life skills, but… they really just teach a sport martial arts class. They teach the blocks, punches, kicks, Sport Sparring, et… And then MAYBE […]
If you look at our Life Skill Alter, you can see Chinese character for Fire 火 turned upside down. Fire can represent Kung fu Spirit, or Warrior Spirit. What does Warrior Spirit Conquer? Fear. And Fear is the source of many of our Mental, Emotional and Physical illnesses and challenges. Other hand, Too much fire destroys. […]
It is becoming more and more apparent that no one is to blame for everything that happens. So, if this is the case, how do we get ourselves in such turmoil if no one is responsible? Although this seems ridiculous, the use of “blame-shifting” has become the go-to way of justifying mistakes. When we have […]
There are six core Life Skills that our students learn. Respect, Discipline, Confidence, Honesty, Communication and Self Esteem. In this blog, I’ll explain the first tenet to you, and talk about why I think it’s important. The first skill at Life Skill is Respect. If you’ve ever witnessed our martial arts demonstration or classes, you […]
Over the past three decades, people have asked me what my biggest challenge has been. As a father, a teacher, a student, a husband and a business owner the most consistent obstacle that I’ve had to overcome is dealing with The Elephant Mindset. What is The Elephant Mindset? Here’s a short story to explain. As […]
With our country at somewhat of a standstill due to the current pandemic, it’s easy to get into a routine that is more laid back. Anything from going to bed late to increased screen time, habits may start leaning on the unhealthy side. And one of the major behaviors that appear when we are in […]
Once a little boy was playing outdoors and found a fascinating caterpillar. He carefully picked it up and took it home to show his mother. He asked his mother if he could keep it, and she said he could if he would take good care of it. The little boy got a large jar from […]
Parents fear their kids will end up followers of the “Wrong Crowd”. Life Skill uses martial arts as a vehicle to guide your children on a journey to become Leaders. As parents, most of us want to feel like we’ve done everything we can to help our kids develop the skills needed to make it […]
When you hear the term “school readiness,” the first thing most people think of is children knowing academic basics that will help them meet the demands of the classroom. While these cognitive skills are essential, teachers feel that skills in the other areas of child development are just as, or more important. Social, emotional, and […]
1. Every behavior has a positive intention and is a sign of our children’s individuality. Sometimes children may act strange or out-of-bounds during class only because he or she is simply finding his or her own path. Many parents and teachers have a distorted perception of strange or aggressive behavior. We shouldn’t assume that strange […]
Children are born Unstoppable! When we were small babies, we cried until we got our way. When we were toddlers, we kept trying to get up, then walk, even after falling down thousands of times! We grew more and more relentless, constantly chasing whatever we wanted. Learning a language, climbing over obstacles, drawing artwork, singing songs, […]
How to stop kids from developing the Habit of Quitting This year marks Life Skill’s 30th anniversary! Boy, Time Flies! I feel very lucky to be able to look back and see so many close relationships, so many memories and so many students who have realized their goal of becoming Black Belt Leaders. As we […]
The times when our children are the most responsive & happy are when they are most connected with us… their parent. Everything from getting down on their eye level, physical touch, and committed attention makes a big difference. When it comes to fostering self-discipline and self-esteem, children need CONNECTION more than anything else! So, what can we […]
This November/December cycle, our Life Skill is Confidence. Throughout the whole cycle, we focus even more on this life skill and make sure that every student understands what Confidence means and why it is important in all aspects of our lives, including the martial arts Confidence starts with Belief In Ourselves. In order for us […]
Why do people bully? There are a lot of reasons why people feel the need to bully others. The primary reasons are: Trying to fit in and feeling that bullying is the way Feel better, by making others feel like less. They too are being bullied It is important to remember that people who bully […]
If you have kids of different ages, then you know how challenging it can be to find things to do as a group. What excites your 10-year-old daughter is likely to bore your 7-year-old son – and vice versa. There’s one exception that we know of – and that’s taking Life Skill Martial Arts classes! Studying martial arts […]
Have you ever wondered why children and teens seem to be so addicted to their smart phones and other devices? Parents are frustrated with their children’s lack of attention and motivation but what do their devices have to do with this? The answer is found in science! Often referred to as the “motivator molecule,” dopamine […]
One of the Key things that will Influence your child the MOST (Besides awesome parents like yourself) is their Environment. Kids Copy. The Life Skill Culture was specifically designed with this in mind. STRUCTURE From the moment your child walks into Life Skill and bows at the door (“Hello Sir/ Hello Ma’am!” ), RESPECT is […]
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