Preschool martial arts classes may seem like an early start… But they’re one of the best ways to overcome temper tantrums- AND get your child ahead of the game when they enter school! Read on for some amazing ways that our instructors create a tantrum-free household with our preschool classes.
Temper Tantrums in Preschool Kids
Preschool-age kids are emotional beings. They don’t rationally understand consequences. During a temper tantrum, all they can think about is that they’re upset, and that they definitely want you to know about it. We can’t fault them for throwing tantrums, because their brains are still developing. What we CAN do is show them how to regulate their emotions, listen, and focus. And these skills apply to so much more than just tantrums!
What is a Temper Tantrum?
Here’s how it plays out: Something upsets your child. They feel a very strong negative emotion- most often, frustration. This frustration causes them to physically express their emotions through crying, whining, screaming… It can even lead to aggressive behavior like hitting or throwing. Every parent knows this and has been through this, so you’re not alone! Plenty of parents enroll their children in our preschool classes because they’ve heard about how martial arts can help with these behavioral issues in young children.
Getting Your Child Ready for School
What’s happening during a temper tantrum is your child is acting based on pure emotions. Your child is fueled by thoughts of how unfair something is, and their frustration just keeps building. We want to teach them how to focus, listen to instructions, and then refocus on something different that is far away from the source of their tantrum. This will help make life more peaceful for you and everyone in your family!
How Preschool Martial Arts Classes Can Help
This is why martial arts for young kids in preschool is so amazing. We see a MASSIVE difference in kids who start classes at the preschool level, and those that start just one year later. Kids who start martial arts classes at ages 3 and 4 get to learn these emotional and behavioral skills much quicker than their older counterparts. Then, as they ascend through the ranks, they learn more in their upper level classes because they’ve already gotten their emotions regulated. Their behavior is under control, so the advanced material will stick better because they’re focusing better.
Then, when they enter school, they have an incredible advantage because, well… everything we just said! It all applies to school as well. Martial arts can help with so much more than just temper tantrums. It’s a tool we use to help our students to become the absolute best versions of themselves, and it shows.
Focusing and Refocusing in Class
Okay, so here’s how preschool martial arts classes can help: Step one is listening. We make listening FUN in our classes. How? Our instructors are pretty amazing and are able to sneak listening skills, discipline skills and focus improvement into every lesson through fun and games. Just call them life skill ninjas. Martial arts classes at this age are less about the moves, which they’ll develop as they advance through the ranks, but more about building foundational behavioral skills that they can use in life and beyond. This includes self control, which is the second step. Self control is about being able to sit still, pay attention, and listen up. We teach self control the same way- through fun games and activities and positive reinforcement.
Conclusion
That’s totally key with tantrums- positive reinforcement. Kids in preschool often throw temper tantrums because they don’t think you’re listening to them. They want attention from you. Once they learn through positive reinforcement that listening to you is a good thing, they’ll be less inclined to throw a fit for your attention. Reinforcing and praising our kids when they listen is really critical. Everybody gets busy, we know that… But we encourage parents to sit in and watch their kids in class so they can learn the techniques and strategies we use. Then when you practice it at home you can really watch your child transform!