This is a time of change. It’s up to you as parents to define exactly what that change means for you and your family. If your young ones have been enrolled in martial arts classes that are no longer able to meet in person, now is an important time to think about the potential effects of your kids staying at home with no outside social activities. While the majority of Xtreme Ninja Martial Arts' martial arts students are utilizing virtual classes, enrollment in these online classes is only about 50%. Keeping your kids active in their martial arts training is beneficial to their mental health during quarantine, as well as keeping their bodies active in a time of social distancing. 

Benefits of Physical Movement 

BOOSTING ENDORPHIN LEVELS IMPROVES FOCUS

The benefits of physical activity are good for multiple kinds of health. Social distancing and quarantine could cause a negative impact on your kids and their mental states. Exercise combats mental health issues by boosting end...

The news can be full of scary stories and information, especially for children. Our current situation has brought about even more concern for everyone in the world. If adults are feeling panicked, imagine how children must be feeling. And no matter the age, children can be emotionally affected by the news and begin feeling anxious about what they are hearing. For this reason, it’s important for parents to spend time connecting with their children and implementing ways that help them feel secure.

And, of course, during this worldwide turmoil, parents may also feel unsure and struggle with what to say to their children. But this is the time when parents should take the opportunity to help members in the family reconnect with each other, which will help everyone feel more secure. Having honest discussions about what everyone is feeling is vital to processing the information in a healthier way. It’s important that parents have these conversations to help ease fear about our “new normal...

The world is a crazy place right now.  Coronavirus has us all staying home and being responsible 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 all non-essential businesses, many business owners also face uncertainty about what the future might hold.

In the long run, things will return to normal.  In fact, many of the adaptations we are making in our lives and businesses will likely become the new norm.  Even in the midst of COVID-19 worries, people with an entrepreneurial mindset are already finding ways to thrive.

Looking forward to a time when we can all start getting back to normal, it is essential that we all take steps now to support the businesses we love most.  Many small businesses operate on extremely tight margins, meaning that even a few days of being closed down can impact...

Finding & Learning from a Martial Arts Mentor

The following is adapted from Step on The Mat.

People, a lot of times, don’t want help. Sometimes people see the word mentor and they think of it as someone who is telling you what to do. A mentor is not a weak thing. Each one of us has skills, but we all lack certain skills.

Why We Need Mentors

There is so much information out there—at the library, or on the internet. You can also pay a mentor for their time. It can be difficult to sort the good information from the bad.

A lot of people read Rich Dad Poor Dad, for example. It’s a very popular book. Some people read the book and collect information. It’s another thing to know how to apply that information and have expert guidance. Books are great, but they can’t take you all the way. They can’t support you.

No one is above having a mentor. Even I still have mentors, whether it’s for writing a book or even martial arts. I need to keep training, and I need to keep growing to be a good l...

Summertime is coming to an end, and with that comes all of the back to school anxiety and jitters that are common amongst children.

Your child may experience common physical effects of anxiety associated with back to school time including symptoms from stomach aches to sleeping problems. They will also experience emotional stress from the fear of making new friends, meeting new teachers, fears of being bullied, pressure of making good grades, and worries of being unpopular. With that said, it important for parents to first remember that these physical and emotional feelings are very common, and even the most well-adjusted kids are bound to feel some sort of pressure when they return to school. 

What can parents do to help their children cope with the physical and emotional stresses associated with the back to school season? 

1. Put your child on a healthy sleeping pattern right away! 

Children need at least 8 to 10 hours of REM sleep each night. Children that do not get adequate sl...

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 overall human relationships and is considered our “social glue.”  

The release of oxytocin is not automatic but rather, a learned response. It is very important for children to develop an effective oxytocin response. We find that when children are abused or neglected, they often have underdeveloped oxytocin responses. This is because they have been locked in the fight or flight response and have not developed the oxytocin response to calm down. Therefore, bonding is very important to children in the early years of life. 

This bonding, that significantly comes through the parent-child relationship, can also be nurtured through positive interactions with adults such as teachers, coaches, and anyone who works with them on a regular...