My son is 4 and wants to take karate....?

Question

What is the difference in Karate and Tae Kwon Do? Also -- he has a little temper -- do you think either will help with that. I've heard that they help with control.

You have all given great answers. I cannot pick just one so I am letting the people vote.

As for our decision. I basically ask about the different arts because we are in a small community with only a few options. I've decided to go and watch a class at the schools we do have available. Even though he is four, I want to go ahead and get him involved because he wants to be and keeps asking to take Karate. I am the type of parent that nurtures the interest. If I wait the opportunity may be past.

Thanks again for all the information!

Answer 1

Karate could be the best or worst thing for your child. Look at the instructor. If the instructor is polite, doesnt seem like an overbearing person or even seem like much of a fighter at first glance himself then that is who you want training your son. If he's an intense angry man then you don't want him putting those kinds of values in your child. I've seen many very angry people not only put in check physically by black belt trainers but mentally subdued as well. This is good, it's not a bad thing. This means when your son gets mad he's taught to control his anger, taught that he can very much hurt people who may not deserve it and deserve at the very least a verbal warning before striking unless of course its unavoidable. Tae Kwon Do is (imo) better than standard karate. But that depends on which instructor you like the most. He will not only learn to respect his teacher but in the process will learn to respect those who deserve it, his family are some of those people who deserve it. He needs to know also in the early stages of learning that Karate needs to stay in the Dojo, if he doesn't keep it there. Stop him from going one week because of it and make him tell his instructor why he missed a class. He won't do it again.

Answer 2

There is a big difference between Karate and TKD but since we are talking about a four year old with a bit of a temper the style is secondary. Four is a little young although I have had a few students that have started at five and taken to it like a duck to water and stayed with it for several years or more. These tend to be the exception but even if he does it for a year or two and it helps his development and teaches him to better control his temper then it is a benefit for him and you.

Look for a school and instructor that relates well to the children and stresses some of the things like self control, paying attention, respect for others, etc. These schools tend to have separate classes for younger students rather than just lumping all the children of various ages all together all the time. While the quality of the martial arts that they teach is less than what I generally like to see there is a bigger picture here and that is your four year old son and his development. So shop around and watch classes at each school you are considering and talk to the other parents, students, and instructors. From that, along with your sons needs and age you can better make a good decision that you and he will be happy with.

Answer 3

A child this young will need structure. Make sure you watch prior to signing your child up. I am not a fan of Tae Kwon Do, but they do have very structured classes for children. You are going to want to find an instructor that will make it fun for the child but not be too nice. Discipline at this age will come out of awe for the black belt more than the person wearing it. I would not recommend a class lasting more than 30 min. This will last for the first two or three tests. Once the structure is established the child will just go with the flow and excel with the class. If you do not decide on TKD at least visit one to see what a young child will do in such a class. One other piece of advice, Do not exert your parental authority over the instructor while in front of the child. All questions regarding the child should be done in private away from the child. That makes the instructors job much easier.

Answer 4

In all honesty at his age level, the differences between Karate and Tae Kwon Do won't matter. As Ray H said, most places won't take children under 5, but I have seen schools that go as low as 3. But truth be told, children under the ages of 8-10 (depending on development skills and maturity) won't be learning the mechanics of practical self-defense anyways. Rather they will, or at least should, be learning proper body movement, cooridination, balance, and the very basics of the art like how to throw a punch or do a certain type of kick.

If you're interested in getting your child into a place that will teach him control, self-esteem, etc, then don't worry about what style he is going to be doing--rather base your decision off of how the instructor interacts and handles the children. Many commercial schools have a form of Kiddie Karate--those would be the places to look first.

Then down the road, when your son starts to grow up, if he's still active in martial arts and interested in actual self-defense part of martial arts (versus the sporting aspect as most commercial schools with Kiddie Karate tend to focus on tournaments and medals), then a comparison between different styles might be in order.

Answer 5

every answer in here is good... I suggest going o the different schools, without you son if possible and watch class, if it is well organized, the students are formal, yes sir,ma'am... do they slouch or stand straight... is everyone paying attention (this would show you that the instructor is a good teacher)... one thing that ppl fail to mention as a benefit to Martial Arts (with belt systems), is it will teach your son proper goal setting... He will learn very quickly, I must learn new things and work hard to achieve what I want... (whether it is a yellow belt, or an A in math).... Once he learn this then it is your job to make him want the A in math haha.... If you go to a school and see something that seems strange to you.... Come back and ask... As far as Karate or TKD.... their are very good schools in both, and very bad schools in both... Be picky about where you spend your money, you are buying a service... ask the instructor if he calls the schools, and tells them that he is teaching the child.... This is very important because it will show the instructor take responsibility of the behavior of your child, also.. no kids wants their karate instructor mad at them... go for it and Good luck

Answer 6

Hello. Right now, you do not need to know the difference between Karate and Taekwon-do. Especially for beginners and young children, only the teacher matters and not the school. First I recommend you to check out the schools near you. Try to get recommendations from friends or someone you know. If you have a lot of choices, visit the school. See if you can get your son into a free tryout class and see if he likes it. Make sure you check out every school, or at least make sure that you have found a good one. The teacher is most important. Try to find a teacher who makes you comfortable. Here is a nice short video to find a good teacher.
http://beauty.expertvillage.com/videos/self-defense-instructor.htm
With the right teacher, I'm sure that with time, your son will no longer have a bad temper. Good luck

Answer 7

Yay Karate mom!

Ok let me say first and foremost way to go for atleast investigating the martial arts for your child.

Now to answer your question, any style of Martial Arts will help your son with disipline. Not like smack him upside the head disipline but more of an ever growing respect for himself and others around him. Not to mention the self confidence boost of achievement!

I worked as an instructor for 5 years with kids of all ages and being a female instructor I had to demand a bit more respect from the children. We had kids come in at ages 4 and 5 with the worst little tempers in the world. A month or two later when they were asked to come to attention they snapped their hands at their sides and yelled SIR or MAM and looked dead straight. It was amazing the transformation these kids went through just with a few weeks of being engaged in something that was not only educational but fun. Their Senseis were another authority figure that they grew to respect but almost to the point of being considered family by these kids.

So go for it first of all, and to answer your TKD and Karate question....I took Karate so naturally Im going to be bias but I will say again like I started any Martial Art is a good Martial Art.

Good Luck!

Answer 8

Karate vs TKD is really a matter of your preference. Check out different schools and instructors and go with who you're comfortable with.

As for his temper, in most cases it will help. However, you cannot expect it to be a cure-all. You have to reinforce the learning that he will get on control and it may take much longer than you hope for it to sink in fully.

Answer 9

-tea kwon do: more kicks than hands.

-karate: more hands than kicks.

- for self defense, take karate. It will work a lot better than tea kwon do (fancy moves and crazy kicks will not work in a real fight).

-always look at diff' schools; some instructors suck at teaching. The teacher will be the deciding factor on teaching ur kid to control his temper. don't just talk to the teacher take a look at the class, and let ur kid take a free trail.

Answer 10

As an instructor I would honestly say he is about a year too young. Most good schools will not take a child under 5 years old. They just don't have the concentration. That being said, its more important to find a good school and teacher, then to worry about which style, at his age.