Sensei’s Weekly Mokuso Sept 6th- 13th
We are Back to School...and Back to the Dojo!!
Onegaishimasu Parents and students,
Our mission at Keiko Martial Arts is helping parents and children become highly successful and discover their full potential in life, at school, and at home. One of the secrets to success is to simply “copy” what other successful parents and children do, and we know all successful people have these four characteristics in common:
1. The right attitudes (trying your best)
2. Habits (disciplines)
3. Thinking/Identity (growth mindset)
4. They do the reps (master the mundane)
Of the four, the “right thinking” has to come first. Much like the food they eat, we have to make sure our child’s mind is well fed with thoughts that enrich and nourish. But just as eating too much junk food can make your child sick, the wrong thoughts repeated over time will adversely affect their mind and ultimately the course of their life.
September is a wonderful opportunity for us, as parents, and our children to reinvent ourselves, and reset our mindset. It has become the unofficial NEW YEAR, because of our return to school, and the many tremendous opportunities to start new habits and routines it brings.
School starts Tuesday and regardless of the physical limitations and heightened safety protocols, we have a tremendous opportunity to build success and momentum, or start fresh and create a whole new identity for yourself and your child. So as we do ever year at this time, we are about to feed your child’s mind with one of the most powerful nutrients.
We want our students to develop a love of school, and a love of learning. We know an enthusiastic approach to school is a crucial first step in developing a “growth mindset”. Your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions…and your actions repeated over time become your habits, disciplines, and your identity(character).
**There are two phrases we never allow at the dojo, and you never ever want to let your child say because we know kids that struggle repeat these two destructive phrases: “I can’t”, and “I hate school. That is why we counter by saying “Try my best” and “I love school!”
Just as we can copy what successful people do, we can equally avoid what the unsuccessful do. I cannot tell you the number of parents that bring failing teens to us to “fix”. They are in middle school or high school, getting F’s in classes, disrespectful, fighting with their parents, have few friends, or the friends they have are poor choices, are unmotivated, and do not care about their future.
I feel for the parents because not only is this a nightmare for them but they feel helpless and utterly powerless to turn it around. The one common thread all these struggling teens have is they repeatedly say “I hate school”.
You cannot say a negative word or think a negative thought at the same time as a positive word or positive thought. So to be proactive, and keep those words from ever taking root in your child. We will repeat “I love school” and “Try my Best” over and over until it sticks!
Remember….Your words, your energy, and your enthusiasm will be mirrored and echoed by your child in everything they do at a young age. So choose your words and actions very carefully and watch the words your child uses carefully. We do!
To your BEST YEAR EVER!!!
Have an amazing first week back to school! Sensei Chris And your Keiko TEAM
Keiko Karate – “Actually we do make Ninjas and Superheroes here………………we turn kids into Ninjas and we turn their parents into their superheroes!”