Sensei’s Weekly Mokuso October 30th- November 4th

What work habits is your child developing?

*Warning: They are forming them right now.

Hello parents,

I want to share a question I get from many parents and often…”Sensei, how do I teach my child discipline?” Of course there are many aspects to teaching and developing self discipline, however, I believe the first step is exposing them to struggle and hardship...and often. Our children need to experience more of this in their life and the key to overcoming struggle and hardship is hardwork, and perseverance (never giving up).

The second step is, I believe, “mastering the mundane.” Learning to do the things that don’t necessarily interest them. (I love it when students tell me “Im bored”) That means they are learning discipline. Anyone can do what they like when they like, but highly disciplined people learn to do the things they don’t like, most likely when they don’t want to do them. Probably when someone else is asking them to do it.

Lastly, the final piece to learning discipline…."delayed gratification." Putting off instant gratification for a bigger payoff down the road. In this instant gratification generation I believe things come way to easy for our children and it isn’t their fault.

While doing character development talks and karate workshops at local schools often times when I mention “homework”, “extra study” or “school” in general it is met with a chorus of groans from select students… Not all students but some.

Every time I hear students do this I say to myself…..NO!!!!, don’t do that!” and here is why….Our children only have one job right now. Our children’s job is being the best student they can possibly be at school, at home, and in everything they do. Here is why this is so, so important.

Your child is forming the work habits right now they will have later in life.

Here is the way it works. You are not going to be a “C” student at school then suddenly become an “A” employee after you graduate! It does not work that way. If you think this will happen you are fooling yourself. If you get in the habit of either “just getting by” or “picking and choosing what you like and do not like” you will do the same thing later in life with your job and even your relationships. You will say you don’t like your work, don’t like your boss, or don’t like your co-workers. You will say the work is “too hard” or “boring”! Have you ever met anyone that just cannot seem to hold a job?

I have to hire very good people to work for me. If I want to know if a teen is worth hiring or bringing on our Leadership program all I have to do is ask them for their grades, and watch the level of effort they put into everything they do on the floor during class.

If a student is getting “C’s” or worse in school, do you think I will hire them? If they are getting A’s and B’s I might hire them. If they are getting straight A’s do you know what my next question will be? It would be “Would you like an application to our “Keiko Leadership” program?

Parents, your child is forming their work ‘habits’ and character right now in everything they do, in every moment of their life. These are the base,

or core skills they will probably have for the rest of their life. If you struggle in school you will probably struggle keeping a job.

If you develop strong work habits and get A’s you probably won’t be an employee for long either – instead you may find yourself as the boss or owner of that company!!!!!”

So, parents, what kind of employee is your child on track to be?

Have an amazing week!

Sensei

Keiko Karate – “Actually we do make Ninjas and Superheroes here………………we turn kids into Ninjas and we turn their parents into their superheroes!”