I’ve always valued physical as well as mental exercise, but Scarlet and Connor refuse to play sports (they just won’t), so getting them to try martial arts was my next step–simpler said than done. I hope this helps others trying to get their children into martial arts/jujitsu.

Why Jujitsu?
There are other popular martial arts like taekwondo that are more mature in terms of childrens’ programs. I chose jujitsu because it’s more practical.  Other martial arts teach techniques that would never work in real fights. Jujitsu, however, enables you to defeat opponents who may be larger or faster than you. If you have watched any MMA or UFC fights, you’ll know that jujitsu is very popular now. The Gracie family from Brazil  helped popularize it by defeating other martial arts experts.

A Good Reputation Doesn’t Mean Good for Kids
Jujitsu, being newer in popularity, doesn’t have as many choices for children. Being an avid UFC fan, I first tried my local Gracie academy. At first, Scarlet and Connor seemed to like the class. I was so proud when they came home and showed me all the moves they learned. Being put in an arm bar by my son was one of the proudest moments…well, it was cool But I thought, isn’t that advanced for the first day? Then their complaints started. “It’s boring.” “The gi is too itchy.” “The boys were rough.” They both decided they didn’t want to do it again.

I realized good for adults doesn’t mean good for kids. The Gracie program was not tailored for children. The instructors would simply teach a few techniques per class and most of the class was spent practicing those techniques.

Martial Arts is Essential Knowledge
My wife, Erika, and I have consistently said that we want our children to learn some fundamentals for life:

• How to play a musical instrument. Scarlet chose piano and Connor chose drums.
• How to swim. Done.
• How to ride a bike. Done.
• How to do one winter sport. They both chose snowboarding.

As good Montessori parents, we let Scarlet and Connor make their own choices about how and when to do those things, and luckily we never had to push hard.

At first, I approached martial arts in this way. When they said they no longer wanted to do jujitsu, I was disappointed but decided to let them make that choice.

But something made me not give up. I started to research the jujitsu academies near us, and one stood out above all others. After calling and talking to the owner, I realized that I should consider martial arts essential knowledge just like school or swimming. Not only is it good physical activity, but it is knowledge they will be forced to use one day. At some point in each of our lives, we have or will be faced with physical violence. I want my children prepared for that day.

I decided then that I would make Scarlet and Connor do martial arts, if only long enough to have basic proficiency. This was the first time I had forced them to do any class. They weren’t happy about it and neither was Erika. I found myself pushing all of them to do this, but I knew it was important enough not to give up.

Finding a Good Children’s Jujitsu Program
So I made Scarlet and Connor go to the jujitsu class I had found. To say they were unhappy is an understatement. But as the class started, I could see them smiling as they went through the exercises. It was clear the exercises were geared towards kids to teach basic techniques of athleticism and how to fall. The professor (instructor) was great with kids. And to top it off, the academy had a Montessori-like method of asking higher belted children to teach younger children. Scarlet could see there were other girls just like her there too.

The academy’s success could be seen in its students. The kids there were super nice, confident and disciplined. The academy is nationally ranked and consistently wins state championships in judo and jujitsu.

A Happy Ending
At the end of the class both Scarlet and Connor said they wanted to continue. They were excited to be fitted with new gi’s. The next morning Connor said out of the blue that he really liked the professor. They can’t wait for their next class.

The moral of this story is that the program and philosophy make all the difference for kids. Take the time to find an academy that customizes their program just for kids, and who shows its success through its students.