Category: Parents

Getting into great shape comes with a large number of benefits. Not only will you establish a healthier lifestyle, but there’s also psychological proof that looking good improves your mental state. When beginning your fitness journey, it can be difficult to choose between personal training and group classes. The good news, though, is that it’s not as […]

In today’s world there are few things young people need more than hope. Hope for their futures, Expectations of finding happiness and success isn’t as common today as it was in the past. The most important factor in developing self esteem and self confidence is parental guidance and support. That doesn’t mean give them whatever […]

Bullying is all too real. Did you know that 25% of public schools report that bullying among kids happens on a daily or weekly basis? And that 1 in 5 high school students report being bullied in the past year? The good news is that because bullying has made national headlines, schools and communities (and […]

The Positive Effects of Martial Arts for a Child in School Grade school can be quite the experience for any child. It is a place where a child not only learns academically but one where a child must learn to socialize and function in the world. Unfortunately, there are a lot of negative experiences that […]

The Positive Effects of Martial Arts for a Child in School Grade school can be quite the experience for any child. It is a place where a child not only learns academically but one where a child must learn to socialize and function in the world. Unfortunately, there are a lot of negative experiences that […]

Martial Arts: The Effective After School Program 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 […]

Good behavior is a learning process for children, and we are their roadmap. Children usually behave per their own emotions and impulses. At the same time, being a parent is also a learning process and sometimes we rely on our own emotions and impulses to teach. Usually, that means we divert directly to punishments when […]

Saying “No” to friends can be hard. Here’s how to make it easier.  As kids get older, peer pressure can get in the way of how well they do in school. Why? By the time they turn seven, children start caring more and more about what other kids think of them — and less about […]

Flowers might be the traditional gift for Mother’s Day, but they’re also what’s expected. Giving your mom a martial arts membership or enrolling her in a class might not be the usual choice, but there are many good reasons to consider giving your mom exactly that this Mother’s Day. The Benefits of Martial Arts for […]

Stranger Danger “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 children to learn who is […]

What is the best age to start Martial Arts? With all the benefits of Martial Arts, parents often wonder…What’s the best age to enroll their children into classes? Believe it or not, young exposure is never a bad idea.  Four- and five-year old’s benefit greatly from martial arts classes.  They are not doing any too […]

How to Talk to Your Child About Bullies and Prevention School safety should be a right for all students alike. It’s up to you as a parent to teach your child about bullying. Empower your children with the facts and ways to stop bullies in their tracks. Bullying is a serious problem that can a […]

Academic Benefits of Physical Activity Physical activity is not only essential for healthy growth and development, it is also important to learning and getting good grades in school.  Active kids are proven to get better grades, better sleep and have better attendance in school. In the age of apps, tablets and streaming it can be […]

Stranger Danger “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 children to learn who is […]

How to Avoid Being a Victim of Bullying 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 […]

Martial Arts Is More Than Just A Physical Workout   When you think of martial arts, one of the first things that probably comes to mind is self-defense.  Yes, martial arts is great for the body, but also for the mind.  There are undeniable benefits from hitting the gym everyday, but the monotony of the […]

How to Set Family Goals to Build a Happy Family (With Examples)   The demands and pressures of work and the desire to be successful in life may overshadow the need to take care of the home front. If this happens, it can take its toll on your family if you do not set family […]

My 4 year old loves to make up “exercises” and goes full on trainer mode when she wants my husband and I to follow along (and then corrects us when we “do it wrong,” of course). While her wobbly backwards walk or the one-leg pirate dance may not produce the same results as P90X or […]

  The Shopper’s Self Defense Guide Holiday shopping can be a thrill. In a good way and even in a bad way. Adding a little self defense mentality can go a long way. Self Awareness You have society on your side. Potential criminals (for the most part) won’t just obnoxiously run up to you in […]

How Martial Arts can improve discipline in Children and Adults Discipline. This word means many things to different people. Whether it’s procrastinating, cheating on a diet, or just being an unruly kid, lack of discipline can be a detriment on your life. In this post, we’ll discuss some of the ways that better discipline can […]

Positive Push vs. Negative Pull   Teaching children is an art form and at MartialArts of West End we consider ourselves experts in this area. Today I’d like to share a powerful parenting tip with you… A concept you can start using to immediately improve your child’s behavior. While teaching we use the idea of […]

  How to Avoid Being a Victim of Bullying 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 […]

How Martial Arts Conquers Bullying With Confidence Anti-bully campaigns are becoming more and more prominent with every passing year, as parents become more attuned to the difficulties children face when they head off to school or out to play. While many parents think that there’s little a child can do to avoid being bullied if […]

9 Benefits of Martial Arts for Kids With Learning and Attention Issues At a Glance Martial arts are self-defense practices, like karate, judo and tae kwon do. They focus on individual progress and can be a good alternative to team sports. Martial arts aren’t a “treatment” for learning and attention issues, but they can help […]

Teach Your Child Responsibility — 7 Tips to Get Started By James Lehman, MSW   The idea that a kid is responsible for things is not inborn—it doesn’t just happen by itself. It needs to be taught, coached, and learned. In some ways, it’s no mystery: kids are born with no responsibilities and everything they […]

Are your kids getting cabin fever with everything going on?  Looking for some safe springtime fun for your family? You and your kids can celebrate spring, no matter what the weather is or other things that are going on. March 19th is the first day of spring this year and we all look forward to […]

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything you’re hearing about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) right now. It’s also understandable if your children are feeling anxious, too. Children might find it difficult to understand what they are seeing online or on TV – or hearing from other people – so they can be particularly vulnerable to […]

The month of March is National Reading Month. This month is designated to motivate Americans of all ages to read every day. Reading regularly has been linked to development of positive mental health throughout our lives. It is never too early to help children develop reading skills. In fact, the National Early Literacy Panel produced […]

Does focus escape you? Do you have a difficult time sitting down and concentrating on one task, before the thought of the next creeps in? Are you constantly multi-tasking? Is it a struggle to complete a task? If you can answer yes to any, or all, of these questions, practicing martial arts can help, as […]

Parents who make fitness an integral part of their daily lives tend to be happier, healthier and do better in school.  Make your kids sweat with a few of the following activities! 1. Aerobic Activity Aerobic activity should make up most of your child’s 60 or more minutes of physical activity each day. This can […]

Kids are known for being moody, and behaving as their mind commands. But this could be preventable (to a certain extent).  Parents intuitively know that food can impact their child’s behavior and mood. We know that sweets, for example, can cause bouts of hyperactivity. But mood-altering food isn’t limited to sugar – there are other […]

Make Valentine’s Day extra special this year by treating your loved ones to an eco-friendly date night! Here are some environmentally friendly ideas you can enjoy on February 14th. 1. Make a Home-Cooked Meal From the Farmers Market Preparing a home cooked meal is romantic, and something you can feel good about! All your locally […]

February is American Heart Month. Hospitals and health systems around the country celebrate American Hearth Month by helping to raise awareness in their communities about heart disease. Staff wear red and volunteers knit or crochet pint-sized red hats for newborns. They hold free screenings and heart health awareness events. It’s a great time for the […]

Avoid a full power kick: Most Taekwondo kicks are known for their effectiveness and most of them require bending and extending the knee or a twisting motion. The kicks should be performed carefully, and amount of power delivered should be based according to the purposes of your training; if you seek to improve or correct […]

How do you beat performance anxiety when competing at athletic events, or in life? I don’t have perfect answers, I do know in the martial arts world, nothing compares to performing in front of judges. Anxiety, alert. DING. DING. DING. Yes, they are judging YOU. Being judged by your peers remains part of our judicial […]

Giving loved ones the attention they deserve is difficult in the best of times, and it gets even harder in the whirl of work and social demands during the winter holidays. But be of good cheer. It’s still possible to make sure your loved ones receive the gift they treasure most: Your presence. For me, […]

Martial arts offers brain-boosting benefits for all ages, research finds As well as increasing physical fitness and mental health, martial arts can boost brain cognition as well. We are all aware that exercise generally has many benefits, such as improving physical fitness and strength.  What do we know about the effects of specific types of […]

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of the year. You spend time with family and friends, eat delicious food, and you can get some great deals on gifts for the holidays! There are many things to be thankful for during Thanksgiving, but there are also some safety tips to consider so your holiday can be relaxing […]

For many of us, the reason we take adult martial arts classes is to prepare ourselves for situations in which we have to defend ourselves physically. We train for hours on theories, applications, strategies and tactics. We learn a thousand ways to counter every possible attack, we practice blocking, trapping, grappling, striking, and throwing. We […]

15 Minutes Of Walking On A Daily Basis Can Change Your Body Drastically People are aware of the numerous benefits of regular exercise, and its amazing effects on our emotional, physical and mental health, but very often, they simply lack time to hit the gym and do the workout. Yet, you no longer have excuses, […]

Halloween is Thursday! Keep your child safe with some of our top 10 tips..   1. Plan a route in advance Trick or treating could take you several streets away from your house, which can cause sore feet and tired legs. Avoid long treks by mapping out a route before leaving the house. Stick to […]

Good behavior is a learning process for children, and we are their roadmap. Children usually behave per their own emotions and impulses. At the same time, being a parent is also a learning process and sometimes we rely on our own emotions and impulses to teach. Usually, that means we divert directly to punishments when […]

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 […]

Saying “No” to friends can be hard. Here’s how to make it easier.    As kids get older, peer pressure can get in the way of how well they do in school. Why? By the time they turn seven, children start caring more and more about what other kids think of them — and less […]