At least once, every person has struggled with needing to let go of something they once cherished. Whether it was a favorite stuffed animal or a relationship, learning to let go is part of growing up and moving on with life. Hollywood, however, continues to re-imagine movies from the not-too-distant past every year, at varying levels of success. Yet, is it possible that even in these remakes there resides a glimmer of hope or potential for something beneficial? For our answer we turn to those reptilian heroes who continue to get new media attention every year – the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
While you may not have expected to see these green fighting machines return, your children might be at the right age to experience the same magic you did nearly 30 years past. In Michael Bay’s new film, there’s no shortage of action scenes depicting the fierce foursome demonstrating high flying fight scenes. If these clips caught the attention of your kids, perhaps this is the sign of a burgeoning interest in martial arts. While the entertainment value of TMNT’s most recent incarnation will vary depending on the viewer’s expectations, you and your children can still benefit from the inspired desire to train and hone a new skill.
Regardless of species, practicing martial arts is a wonderful way to stay in shape, meet new friends, and build character. Children who begin martial arts early have also demonstrated higher levels of self-restraint, focus, physical ability, and mental fortitude into their teenage and adult years. Becoming a member of a school can also help foster a sense of belonging and unity that is important to developing young minds. Even if their initial interests began by witnessing turtles performing jump kicks, the end result will far outshine that memory as the years go by.
Best of all, there are several martial arts for your child to choose from. Karate, taekwondo, and many other martial arts classes for kids are available, usually at a discounted price. Parents can also begin practicing, transforming the development of a skill into family fun time. Instead of telling your child to stop rough housing the next time they’re pretending to be their favorite ninja turtle, instead set them on a path that can focus and hone that energy into a masterful ability they will come to appreciate as they grow up.
