So you fell in love with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and have been training it for quite some time now. In fact, you came to love and enjoy it so much, that you’re thinking of getting your kids to start training it as well… But is this the right thing to do? Namely, if your kid(s) haven’t been doing any sports prior to BJJ, should it be the first sport they train?
Let’s take a look at some of the things you should take into consideration.
TALK WITH YOUR KIDS FIRST
The first thing you should take into consideration is, naturally, what your kids want. There are so many parents out there that place their children into activities solely because they enjoy it. And while there’s nothing wrong with that in and of itself – it can, indeed, be very beneficial to the child – it’s still, well, sort of selfish. If your kids’ happiness is the most important thing, then you should take into consideration what makes them happy first, right?
Of course, if your kids are still very young (for example, 7 years or below), you can’t really expect them to know what they want. After all, their character isn’t even fully formed yet, let alone their sense of self-awareness and introspection. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t listen to them.
The way to listen to them in this case (but even in the ones of older children) is to take them to your BJJ training class or your academy’s kids class, if they have it. Bring some training clothes, but let them sit on the sidelines for a bit first. Let them watch and observe what the other kids are doing. And then, after some time, see if they want to try it out themselves.
Let them have fun! If you see that they’re cheerful, that doesn’t necessarily mean that BJJ’s the sport for them; but that they feel good and are happy with the people they’re surrounded with.
If that’s the case, you can be assured that they’ll want to be on the mats for quite some time. And not just because you want them to.
TALK WITH A PEDIATRICIAN
Prior to your kids starting with any sort of a sport, it’s a smart idea to take them to a pediatrician for a check-up. Explain to the doctor that you want your kids to start with sports, and that Jiu Jitsu is on your mind; ask them, do they think that this is the right choice?
Naturally, some doctors may be biased towards martial arts in general, so they might cross BJJ right off the bat. But don’t lose your nerves here; simply ask them to perform a check-up which would ensure that your child doesn’t have any underlying preconditions that would inhibit them from training Jiu Jitsu.
The health of your kids comes first. Therefore, make sure that they go through a detailed checkup before starting any sport. That way, when all things turn out to be alright, you’ll have that peace of mind that comes from knowing that BJJ will truly benefit the smaller versions of you.
BJJ DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THEIR FIRST SPORT
In the end of ends, Jiu Jitsu doesn’t have to be your kids’ first sport! Don’t feel stressed out about getting them into BJJ immediately; just get them into some sort of a physical activity which will keep them healthy and have them develop the love for moving.
And continue training BJJ yourself; after all, they’ll be watching you do it… And, as the saying goes – the example is the best teacher.
