Are you or your child shy, quiet, weak or small? Are you instantly thinking negatively when you hear these words? That’s why what we do at our Kenbu Dojo is so important. We don’t take students to “fix” them or to teach them how to be the opposite of those words. No, in fact if you look at the words above, they can be very positive indeed. If we can teach young people to love their traits or characteristics and use them to their advantage, then they can take on the world.
It is only by empowering what a child/teen has already built inside them, that they can begin to see their full potential in what ever they want to achieve. We do it through Martial Arts, but the truth is with the correct instruction and guidance this can be achieved in any sport or activity a person joins.
For example, we have a student who is always called “small” at school and in their peer groups. This makes them feel sad sometimes. But in training we use the saying “It is he/she who knows their advantage best, that wins”. Through our training this student has learned how to defend themselves and control people much bigger than them. This has by no means happened over night, but gradually. By helping this student to believe in themselves, with small minor challenges each week at training it has built up their confidence.
Shidoshi Sinead is not a teacher that will ever plan to “fix” your child or to provide you with a long list of promises she will achieve for your child. Like “your child will get straight A’s in school, become more confident and be bully proof” etc. Instead she will only ever encourage and embrace the wonderful skills they have inside them already and hopefully show them they have all they need. With the occasional push in the right direction. Each child will achieve many things in life, we are merely here to help them along.
