Youth:
Universal TKD offers classes for children ages 5 to 17. Our program focuses on the three major component to a child's well-being: self-discipline, physical fitness, and emotional strength. Our school has a comprehensive approach to the difficulites parents have in raising healthy, well-balanced children in today's chaotic atmosphere. We view each child as an individual with his or her own unique strengths (which we seek to build on) and weaknesses (which we seek to help them overcome).
Discipline:
All children can use help in discipline. Our philosophy isn't that discipline is a matter of a low self-esteem; but rather a lack of respect for self and others. The very nature of Tae Kwon Do lends itself to instilling discipline in its students. Our students learn to address their instructors with respect and to do as they are asked. In addition, by being given the responsibility of learning complex techniques as they gain in rank, the students also learn to respect themselves for their accomplishments. The gains our students see in our gym transfer to home and school.
Health:
Our program is a boon to parents seeking a safe and family friendly atmosphere for their child to learn good exercise habits for life. Forty-five minutes a day, at least twice a week, is a good exercise program for children who are frequently sedentary the rest of the week. The obesity problem in the United States is reaching record proportions, and lack of exercise is one reason.
*Another benefit we see coming from regular movement is that of our students becoming physically tired. What parent hasn't struggled with a child who just "isn't tired" when bedtime comes? Our children's classes let the students burn off extra energy, and our parents report that the kids frequently will go to bed easier, and fall asleep faster, on nights they have come to class. This is especially true with our students with ADD/ADHD: regular exercise can help stimulate sleep.*
Give your child a love of exercise early, and he or she will never quit!
Emotion:
Children today need a lot of emotional support to get through their day. The stress of being a child today is so much greater than it was for their parents and grandparents. They need caring adults, and supportive friends, who will guide them to make the right choices in their lives. Peer pressure can be a valuable tool, if the child's peers are the type you want them to emulate! Our school provides adult role models who interact with the students from the very first day. Not just our well-trained instructors, but our high ranking teenagers, our other student's parents, and our adult students. Because there is no set time for your child to come to class (they can attend any of the twelve classes per week), they will meet and form strong friendships with other martial artists who are seeking to become the best person they can be.
Once your child is comfortable in our gym (usually less than a week) you may feel free to drop them off for their exercise, while you run errands.