Self defense - The most obvious reason to enroll your child in martial arts is to help them learn and develop self defense skills. The great thing about martial arts is that yes it teaches physical defense tactics but also stresses the importance of conflict resolution and personal responsibility more than anything else. A well taught martial arts class teaches the bully to respect others while also showing the victim of bullying how to deal with an uncomfortable situation and defend themselves if it comes to that.

Behavior issues - often times, when children are acting out in school or in the home environment, parents enroll them in martial arts class. These focused classes help kids work on their attention span, respect, demeanor and self control. While most of the credit for the improving behavior is given to the structure of many martial arts classes, it is actually the relationship between the student and the instructor. When your child's instructor find a solid method of communicating, it is firm, friendly, and consistent. Only then does the child get the most of out martial arts training.

After school activities - Most of the time, parents enroll their children into a martial arts class just to give them something to do after school. There is nothing wrong with that either since it is a safe, healthy way to occupy some of their free time. Get them involved in an activity that forces them to set a goal and then follow it through instead of sitting in front of the computer for hours on end. Some of the better martial arts school transform into a second home for many students. I've also seen countless examples of student and instructor relationships that last a lifetime with positive impacts on each of their lives.