karate class? | ADHD Information

my 9 yr old daughter has been in karate for 1 1/2  years now (Tae Kwon Do actually) and it has helped her tremendously.  She used to  be ery physical - get in fights at recess, etc. and this has taughter her the self-control she needed.  She also practices each morning before school which gets a lot of her energy out of her system.  As long as they like doing it and the instructor is good with the kids, it can be a wonderful experience for them.  Good luck :)

I was wondering if anyone has any luck with karate? I have a boy who has social issues and aggassive issues that also has to rebuild selfasteem.I'm scared that it will make him more aggressive with all that kicking and screaming. I do know that they are big on teaching respect,which he needs.Can anyoneone share .

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Karate is big on respect and self- discipline and can be a great way to burn off some of the extra energy.  I wouldn't think it would make him more aggressive since there are clearly defined limits on physical contact.

My son tried a karate class (they typically let you try one for free) when he was 7, but he didn't like it so much.  He has a lot of trouble with orientation (left/right, front/back, before/after) and had a hard time following along.  I have heard of many children with adhd who do really well in martial arts though, so if he's interested go ahead and check it out.

Karate with the right instructors can do wonders for adhders and their self esteem.  Don't worry  about your child abusing what he learns.  One of the first things the kids learn is to NEVER use it on another unless they are defending their lives. My 6 1/2 year old son has been in karate since October & loves it. He is also doing quite well with it (he has already moved up to his yellow belt). We found a school here in our part of New Jersey that is run by an instructor who also has ADHD & they are VERY understanding. He has found a great group of kids to socialize with, including the ones that are older than him. He has also found an outlet for his energy that is also a great thing for him to learn. I highly recommend it.
It worked exactly opposite with my son..lol He's 7 yrs old and I had him in it last year. He wasn't really aggressive to begin with. I originally put him in there for self esteem issues. Once he learned kicks and blocks, that's all he did. All around the house...at me....even at school. He couldn't handle the responsibility so I had to take him out   I posted a thread on the "ADHD and Sports" column about marial arts.  I had many great responses on that thread, you may want to check it out.  We have finally found the right combination of meds, but haven't taken the plunge of enrolling our 5 DS yet.  We definately plan to have him start in Tae Kwon Do, it's just a matter of time.  We're hoping for the self discipline and self control aspect as well, along with a way of releasing energy for him.  Good luck in your decision!

My 8 yo son is doing Tae Kwon Do and it is great!  I agree that the teachers make a big difference.  I heard from 3 people how wonderful this school is so I signed ds up for their summer camp.  He loved it!  I have heard the karate school in my town is not as good (recently) so I am glad we chose where we go.

The best part are his elevated self esteem and his respect of everyone (at least for a day).

Maybe you could try one out to see,

 

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Hi,

The right school and teacher is wonderful for ADHD kids. My son took karate in 3rd grade and I can't say enough good things about it. One aspect is that in order to be promoted to the next belt the child must have the teacher sign off. The child needs good grades and be a positive role model to the other kids. This really motivated my son. We did not stick with it because of other sports conflicts but we probably should have.  Give it a try.