I grew up with a brother who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. I know how hard life is for him. I see it almost every day. It is hard for his to focus in school, while doing homework, and in completing a task. He needs to be told to do things multiple times because he is constantly thinking about doing something else. His outlet is in Water Polo. In conjunction with his medication, partaking in the sport helps him learn how to concentrate. I know that my brother is not alone. Millions of kids deal with the same learning disability every day.
I will never forget when I became a senior student, which was signified by my purple belt ranking. Part of being a senior student was to take the time to teach the younger students. Since my Sensei didn’t allow us to jump right into teaching, my training partner and I observed the kids class, which was the one right before ours. While observing, I realized that some of the students acted similar to my brother. They seemed to not remember what to do next even if my Sensei had just told them. Although disciplining them for their lack of focus may seem harsh, it sincerely taught them to hold themselves accountable. They will always have to live with their ADHD, but Martial Arts gave them the chance to learn how to focus. It taught them discipline and control. Any type of Martial Art requires concentration, which is why it aids those with learning disabilities, like ADHD, so much.
To see those students learn how to have more self-control was an amazing thing to witness and watch. I know that the benefits of them having done Martial Arts must enter into every part of their lives. My advice to parents would be a) to enroll your child into Martial Arts of they have a learning disability, and b) to not let them give up. They may get discouraged to see the other students learning faster than they are, but have them stick with it through multiple classes. Constructive criticism is a necessary and positive element to any child’s development. It helps them grow and mature and become more aware of their actions.
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