So for a while now I have wanted to do a blog on this subject but always thought ahh I'll do it next week of next month and never got around to doing it. So here we are and now it's time to put my thoughts out there.
As parents I believe we have a duty of care to prepare our kids for life as they grow older, and we do a great job in this by putting our kids through school, teaching them the importance of eating correctly , the importance of money and so on and so on. And one thing that 99% of parents do is teach their kids how to swim, the importance of teaching your child to swim seems to be put above all else in regards to bringing your child up which is awesome. In this day and age you would be crazy not teaching your kids how to swim.
This is where I get a little confused with people, on a regular basis I have parents tell me ah can we suspend little Johnnies membership because footy starts next week, or basketball, cricket, soccer and the list goes on, hopefully we will be back after said season finishes. Would you cancel your kids swimming lessons too?
See I think teaching your kids how to protect themselves is MORE important than teaching your kids how to swim, please don't get my message confused here as I believe its super important to teach your kids how to swim.....but I think it's more important to teach them how to protect themselves with life skills that will last forever.
I have been a strong believer for ever that ALL girls should do Jiu Jitsu, no questions asked, because if a girl or woman is attacked by some creep one day where do you think this person will try and put this female?? On the ground? 100% and where would she specialise if she trained Jiu Jitsu?? On the ground.
Now I know as a parent that time is hard to come by when it comes to getting kids to after school activities , trust me I've been there as still am there hahaha. But I think learning something like Jiu Jitsu is that important you must make time, I honestly consider it so important.
It's the same when I get messages saying little johnnie doesn't want to train anymore etc etc, I think little Johnnie should just drop back to one class a week and his drive will come back again as i've seen it a million times. Don't just let your kids quit, this to me is so important to them now and in the future and I promise you they will thank you one day. In any sport you go through low patches where you don't want to train etc, but you need to encourage them to continue as I don't believe you would let them quit swimming.
Please don't think this is me telling you how to parent, as that is now my intention . I just want people to realise the importance of your kids learning how to protect themselves. Untrained people will never know how powerful Jiu Jitsu is, and even more so against people who aren’t trained. I have teenage girls training at our gym that have put trained adult men to sleep, imagine the untrained lad trying to rough them up?
In my eye's it is by far the most effective art you can teach your kids or even yourself, nothing will help you against a group attack or a weapon in some cases, but Jiu Jitsu will do better than most. Not only does it teach your self defence skills, life skills etc, it is an unbelievable source of fitness and it is amazing for your mental health.
Jiu Jitsu was first invented to help smaller people beat larger people using technique against strength, it is called human chess and it is by far the hardest thing I've ever done in my life....but it's also the most rewarding thing I've ever done. Everything about Jiu Jitsu is hard, the belts, the training, everything, but if it was easy everyone would do it.
So please parents, put the same importance on empowering your kids to protect themselves as you do on teaching them to swim.
Cheers Luke