Spiritual Development

This is a task for parents, not for Taekwondo. Help your child develop and maintain a real relationship with God. Today, many believe that absolutes—wrong and right—do not exist. Therefore, their children do not know the price they pay when they choose to disobey these absolutes. With no absolutes, we end up teaching our kids about a "gray" area between black and white where people are free to define and choose their own sense of right and wrong. However, they must be taught that they are not free to choose the consequences of their choice. Sometimes Taekwondo is taught in a religious institution or within a religious content. Under these circumstances, Taekwondo may help with a child's religious development.

Honesty

Honesty is more than simply avoiding lies. It includes a belief in, and a pursuit of, the truth. Honesty is a sign of healthy self-esteem, because an honest person takes responsibility for his or her actions. A child who feels good about him or herself has no need to resort to deception. Taekwondo teaches children to be honest, even when it is not easy to do or is not the popular thing to do.

Courage

If a child is constantly afraid, he or she feels less and less able to deal with his or her surroundings. Instead of experiencing growth, the child's comfort zone shrinks and he or she withdraws from life. Courage determines how much freedom a child experiences. Fear will hold your child back and prevent him or her from trying new things, pursuing meaningful opportunities, and from living the life he or she was meant to live. Taekwondo helps children face their fears and conquer them. As they gain more courage, they are not afraid to try new things.

Contribution

Children need to be taught the joy of giving so they will become persons who contribute to society. Life rewards you in direct proportion to your willingness to contribute. Taekwondo students learn to give assistance to new students or those with physical or mental challenges and they learn community service. They learn that helping others makes you feel good about yourself.

Positive Outlook

Children need to look at their lives positively, not negatively. Taekwondo instructors do not tell students they are doing a technique wrong; they praise them and tell them how to improve the technique. As a result, students have a positive outlook about their futures and feel capable of doing anything.

Responsibility

Taekwondo teaches children to take responsibility for their own actions, for assigned tasks, for younger children, and for other students of lower rank. As they learn responsibility, they are given more responsibilities.

Persistence

Sometimes, things in life do not come easily. Some children take longer to earn rank in Taekwondo than it does for other children. Taekwondo teaches children not to give up and that they can succeed if they persist in their efforts.

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