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The number one reason parents bring their children to LIFE SKILL Academy of Millbury is confidence. They’ll often say things like, “My shy kid needs help getting out into the world and talking about what’s going on in his/her life so they come out of their shell.” Building self-esteem can seem overwhelming for kids who […]

 It seems Tai Chi may be an art that can not be summarized in one sentence. Since it’s multi-faceted and does not have one specific meaning for all those who practice it, Tai Chi can be many different things to different people. Some see it as a moving-meditation, some as a loosening exercise we do […]

The art of Tai Chi has been around for centuries, but it’s only been since the 1970’s that people started to take notice in west. This unique and interesting art form requires us to calm our minds and relax our bodies, while moving slowly, which counterintuitively uses more muscles at the same time than fast […]

  As a parent, you want nothing more than for your children to be successful. So, ever since your children were born, you’ve been working hard to give them the best life possible. You’ve sacrificed your time, money, and energy to make sure they have what they need. But, then you watch as one of […]

2022 Is The Year Of the Tiger! The tiger is characterized as being tough when facing In the Lunar Calendar, 2022 is The Year Of the Tiger! This creature is characterized as being tough when facing when facing adversity, with a fierce hunting instinct and a strong sense of justice and a commitment to the greater […]

Most people say that “Life Is Risky”. You might be surprised to learn that playing it safe can actually be risky. In fact, research shows that people who take risks are more successful than those who don’t. So if you want to achieve your goals, you need to start taking some risks. Don’t worry, I’m […]

Do your kids have a hard time staying on task?   Are they constantly getting distracted and unable to focus, even when you’re not around?  It’s normal that children will experience issues with concentration as childhood progresses; after all no two people mature in exactly the same way! And who hasn’t seen an underperforming child […]

Studies have shown that children who are well-disciplined tend to do better in school, be more successful when they enter the workforce and have a higher self-esteem.  Parents are always looking for ways to help their kids develop self-discipline in a world where it is hard to find. Martial arts training can be the perfect […]

In today’s world, there is an overgrowing focus on “me” and less on “us.” This “all-about-me” emphasis has led to a lack of empathy, which, in turn, results in more and more conflict. The primary reason for this…people do not listen. Their focus is on their own agenda, and they are not open to really […]

Stress is a significant part of our lives today. And while we all experience it, children and teens have a more difficult time managing it. Academic pressure, social tensions, family stressors, etc. all impact a young person’s mental well-being. For this reason, it’s important for parents to help their children develop coping skills by guiding […]

If Your Kid is Shy… Here are two quick tips to help your shy kid open up. 1. Let them know it’s okay to be shy Our society places a ton of value on being outgoing. It also places a lot of judgment on being shy. Shy kids are often made even more shy because […]

Which scary scenario are you agonizing over the most? Fear Of: Getting sick from Covid Your child being able to stay masked Other kids keeping their mask on Administrators enforcing the mask mandate Kids ability to hear and communicate and behave with a mask on Getting childcare after a sudden school closing or quarantine Getting […]

Hey Millbury – Worcester Parents! Check out our latest martial arts blog article about benefits of Martial Art training for kids and teens. Then have your child join our martial arts classes in our beautiful facility in Millbury, Massachusetts. Tap here to get started now. 1) Fostering Self-Discipline  One of the central tenets of our […]

What is Success? For some people, the attainment of a long term goal is success. For others it may be the completion of smaller tasks. Similarly in Martial Arts training, achieving Black Belt or “under” belts may be what some students consider being successful. However, succeeding as a Martial Arts practitioner involves mastering the most […]

The “Quarantine 15” has been yet another horrible reality of the pandemic. Not only were we separated, friend loved ones and friends, but unstructured days, decreased motivation, and increased boredom led to unhealthy habits for families. The result, for many, has been weight gain and reduced fitness levels, which has set the stage for disease and long-term […]

Over the past year, children have faced many disturbances in their daily lives and interactions. These things have contributed to a lot of emotional imbalance and brought on or exacerbated feelings of sadness, fear, and anxiety. Since children are still developing abilities to regulate their strong and ever-changing emotions, they need assistance in strengthening these […]

Children between the ages of 3 and 4 are at a very unique growth period in their lives. They are growing at a rapid rate in all areas of development and are discovering new things daily, while also learning how to cope with new challenges. Additionally, they are in pursuit of autonomy, which can lead […]

In the past year, many parents have found themselves filling the roles of teacher, coach, guidance counselor, and hall monitor as the kids try to continue their studies in the home learning environment. The first few days were likely an exciting new adventure, but as we continue to try to balance working from home, maintaining […]

One of the biggest struggles in parenting is understanding why perfectly sweet and smart children can, in an instant, turn into the most difficult beings ever faced. It’s often as if a switch was flipped and chaos has ensued. This typically results in parents becoming frustrated at their child and disciplining them in the heat […]

For parents, there is not one infallible way to teach children self-control. The good news is there are plenty of methods that can be utilized. In the process, kids may also relinquish a lot of the pressure they put on themselves. Here is a closer look at some simple ways that can build self-control in […]

This week I want to share a short story called  “The King, The Rock & The Mover” In ancient times, a king had his men place a boulder on a roadway. He then hid in the bushes, and watched to see if anyone would move the boulder out of the way. Some of the king’s wealthiest […]

Today, I want to look at bullying from the other side. Why do some kids bully their classmates? The truth is that bullies have a lot in common with their victims. It’s rare for a child who’s truly self-confident to engage in bullying behavior. In fact, it’s their lack of self-confidence that makes kids into […]

5 Tips To Keep Your Child Safe “Don’t talk to strangers” used to be the cure all to protect your child, but there are two sides to this.  If you child wants to make friends or is lost…they need to talk to a stranger. Instead of creating an encompassing rule of “Don’t talk to strangers”.  Teach your […]

As adults, we think a lot about stress. Modern life is difficult. We worry about paying the bills, doing our jobs well – and we worry about our kids. That’s part of our jobs as parents, but we don’t want our kids to be affected by stress. It’s not good for them physically or emotionally. […]

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 […]

As back to school plans continue to change almost daily, children’s emotions will remain unpredictable. One day they are thinking about returning to their friends and teachers at school, and the next, they are told they won’t be returning for another few months. Because of this, our children’s emotional needs have never been greater. And […]

Attunement Do you ever feel like you can read your child’s mind?  You know what they are going to do or say next because they have had the same reaction before?  This is attunement.  Improving your attunement skills will allow you to create a more patient and understanding relationship with your child.        […]

Training Dates with your Life Skill Ninja You may hear your child’s Life Skill Coach speaking about practice time at home now and then. Why? Practicing at home will have a huge impact on your Life Skill Ninja’s ability to perform in class which will lead to more confidence. With more confidence comes the ability […]

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 […]

CONNECTION One of the most important things that we can do as parents is establish a connection with our child. In fact, children need connection more than anything else.   Here are a few ways that you can begin to build a great connection with your child: Daily Interactions: 1 Make one-on-one connections with your […]

Children of all ages are spending more and more time on devices. Online school work and staying connected to family members are positive ways children can use technology. And while video games and social media apps are ways for children to connect and “play” with friends, these platforms are also a breeding ground for inappropriate […]

Preparing Children to Return to School A Developmental Approach As we continue through the current pandemic and re-opening efforts show real challenges, school districts everywhere are trying to devise the best plans for children, teachers, and staff to return. And while there will be no perfect solution for each family, parents must consider all the […]

The world is a crazy place right now.  Especially as the coronavirus has us all staying home and beingresponsible about our social distancing responsibilities.  Many people are left wondering what to do as they find themselves thrust into the world of homeschooling, telecommuting, and even unemployment. With the recent mandates by government officials to close […]

Bullying has become an epidemic in recent years. Yes, there have always been bullies, and yes, those bullies have always caused serious and lasting damage to their victims; however, bullying in the 21st century has changed – and not for the better. According to Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, one in four students has reported […]

Catch Kids Doing Good! A  good finder is a parent, teacher, or friend that is always looking for those good things that others do. It’s all too natural for us to look for the negative and certainly we’re going to find what we look for. Most parents and teachers constantly tell kids what they did […]

How Mirror Neurons Impact Learning Learning is a big part of child development and how children learn things is dependent on a variety of factors. Much of the time, observational learning contributes to how children learn information and behaviors. This type of social learning can be greatly influential because of the role that mirror neurons […]

In September, 1975, I began my study of Chinese Martial Arts and Chinese culture. My first Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival (Chūnjié 春节) celebration is still very clear in my memories. It was the Year of the Dragon and my teacher, Master Chan, took us to Chinatown, Boston where we walked the crowded streets performing […]

Helping Children Set Age-Appropriate Goals The New Year has arrived, and many of us have set lofty resolutions. Anything from working out daily to saving money to losing weight, our society knows how to dream big! However, when we don’t break big dreams down into smaller, achievable goals, failure often ensues. And to make matters worse, […]

Why Kids Whine? Why Do Kids Whine? Because… It WORKS! Kids are smart! They recognize patterns and only continue ones that work for them. Children Whine = Parents Give-in. All children recognize whining gets them the attention that they crave. Could even equal brownies for breakfast, a candy bar in the checkout line, or a video game, […]

The Wisdom And The Art of Thankfulness Happiness, is born from gratitude. Gratitude has also been linked to better health, sounder sleep, less anxiety and depression, higher long-term satisfaction with life and kinder behavior toward others, including romantic partners. David Steindl-Rast says “the one thing all humans have in common is that each of us wants to […]

What To Expect From Your New Ninja Martial arts has a well-known benefit of helping children develop physical skills and improve in discipline. For this reason, parents often enroll their children in some type of martial arts in order to achieve goals such as these. While attaining these goals are possible, parents often have unrealistic […]

In today’s world competition is everywhere and it often starts at a very young age. It begins as a fun, skill-developing event but can quickly become time-consuming and competitive. While some parents want their children pushed to help them learn the hard lessons of life, others want to protect their children from the disappointment that […]

The Key to Effort, Focus and Success During each Life Skill class, we shift the groups state from normal to Peak State. How? The first thing we do is change our physiology. We change the way we are standing. Shoulders back, clear, loud tone of our voice, and our body language demonstrate power, enthusiasm and energy! […]

The Most Important Questions To Ask When Choosing a Martial Arts School If you’re a busy parent or Grandparent, you know how time consuming and confusing it is trying to pick the right activity, not to mention the right martial arts school for your kids. I totally get it. You want to save time, weed-out […]

Ghosts, Goblins and Witches, oh my! The Halloween season brings a lot of fun memories for people. They can find their favorite characters or alter egos and dress up as other personas for a night. Taking children around the neighborhoods for candy at night has become the American staple for Halloween traditions. There are also social gatherings such as […]

Mentoring has been around for many years and has shown to have many positive outcomes for all participants. In Life Skill Martial Arts, the mentoring program that is implemented is called the Black Belt Leadership Team. This is a “near-peer” type mentoring program that is very structured and incorporates a full curriculum and training system. […]

Oppositional Defiant Disorder  A Supplemental Resource for Families Coping with Oppositional Defiant Disorder All children act out from time to time. However, children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), as defined by the Child Mind Institute, “have a well-established pattern of behavior problems that are more extreme than their peers.” Children with ODD display aggressive behaviors […]

Childhood Brain Training    The learning process is vital to healthy development of a child’s brain and their experiences and interactions largely influence how this happens. This process doesn’t just take place in the classroom but in all areas of the child’s life. Because of this, learning is better approached when it is an active […]

OXYTOCIN The Key To Positive Social Relationships In Children and Teens Oxytocin has been dubbed the “love chemical.” It is the hormone that is released when we feel love and trust in relationships. For most people, they know oxytocin as a significant part of the parent-child bonding process. However, it is also very important in […]

A parent’s work schedule never really syncs up perfectly with his/her child’s school schedule. As school lets out for the day, parents are usually wondering what options are in place for them to place their children in until they are out of work. Plus, they want to be able to put their children in programs […]

There are few things quite like working out with a partner, spouse, son, daughter… a loved one of any sort. No matter type of martial arts you both practice, there are some benefits to exercising together. From perfecting your form to keeping each other motivated, you’ll find them here Read on to find out more. […]

The Best Summer Programs Teach Martial Arts – In the Worcester – Millbury – Shrewsbury – Grafton – Auburn Area   It might not seem possible, but summer is almost here. The kids will be out of school THIS WEEK!!! And you’ll be wondering what you can do to help them fill their days with something […]

For years, martial arts has gotten a bad reputation because people feel that it encourages violence, especially in children. And yes, it sounds like a paradox that something that teaches “fighting” can actually make people less aggressive. However, what most people don’t know is that martial arts is rooted in nonviolent conflict resolution. As the […]