Raising kids today is arguably harder than ever before. But, there are some ways to help ease the stress and strain of raising your little ones and prevent behavior problems through good parenting.

I'd like to talk about setting goals and address topics like what makes a goal different from a 'day-dream' or just 'wishing' for something to happen. We will talk about the steps to take to put an action plan and strategy in place to reach a goal.

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar to you? If so keep reading...

A parent spends countless hours trying to keep their active child from running into danger. Many children are overly energetic and have no place but home and school to let their energy loose. The parent is stressed out. Teachers are on edge and the child is still wreaking havoc each day.

The act of ‘giving’ and how it works with others can be tough to understand for a child. Sometimes the best way to explain something is through story and illustration. Here is a story we use for our group talk before class begins to help our younger martial arts students understand what giving means and how it might work.

Hanshi Dave Kovar talks about the importance of bringing value to each and every one of our relationships in this personal account of his interaction with a cashier in a busy store. It's a good reminder to let others know how much they mean to us and share our appreciation of them at every opportunity we have so they know we value them.

A lot of times, we overlook our own talents and just how special we are as we go through our daily lives. This is especially true given how much more connected we are with the world around us through the internet.

Many parents ask, "Should I help my child with their homework?" The answer is, yes but maybe not in the way you expected.

During the school year, you hope for the best for your child. You want them to succeed in everything from good grades to extracurricular activities, completing homework to making friends. As their parent, you hope they will do their best, but you also don't want to do it all for your child. You want them to have independent success at home, at school, everywhere.

Next month is National Bullying Prevention Month and we believe martial arts is a great way to support the anti-bullying movement with a buddy not bully approach. Our instructors are trained in teaching kids to befriend their peers, but also identify dangerous situations that require help from their parents or teachers.

There are many reasons to sign up your child for a martial arts program. If you are a parent looking to find a program that will help support you and your child through fitness and mental toughness, martial arts might be a perfect fit for your family!