How to Help Your Child Use the Confidence They Already Have in New Situations
Your child already has confidence somewhere. Here is how to help them carry it into new situations, like a new class, team, or school. For Troy parents.
Child Development
How to Tell If Your Child Feels They Belong in a New Activity
Starting a new activity? Six signs your child feels they belong, and what to do if they hang back by the door. Plain advice for Troy parents.
Too Much Energy After School? What to Do With It
Does your child have too much energy after school? Five simple ideas for the hours between pickup and dinner, from a Troy kids karate school.
Is 12 Too Late to Start Martial Arts? (Or 10? Or 11?)
Short answer: no, and the long answer is better. If you are wondering is 12 too late to start martial arts, this is what happens when tweens start as white belts.
Karate for 7 Year Olds: Why Ages 7-9 Advance Faster Than Anyone
Focus, memory, and coachability converge here. This is why karate for 7 year olds (through 9) is the fastest-progressing window in all of kids’ martial arts.
Tantrum vs Meltdown: How to Tell the Difference (and What Helps)
A meltdown is a flooded brain, not a choice. What’s actually happening in your child’s brain during a meltdown, the most common triggers, and what to do during and after — from a Troy instructor with 34 years of experience.
Karate for 5 Year Olds: Why Kindergarten Age Is the Sweet Spot
Ask 100 instructors the best age to start and most will say 5 or 6. This is why karate for 5 year olds works so well, and how it makes the kindergarten transition easier for everyone.
Karate for 4 Year Olds: What to Expect in the First 3 Months
Karate for 4 year olds works at this age. See what your child learns in the first three months.
Karate for 3 Year Olds: Is 3 Too Young to Start?
Parents searching for karate for 3 year olds want to know whether a child that little can do this. After 34 years of teaching Tiny Tigers, my answer is yes, as long as the class is built for them.
Kids Who Benefit From Martial Arts Most: 5 “Not the Karate Type” Myths
Too shy, too small, too uncoordinated, too sensitive, too distracted. After 34 years, I can tell you the kids parents rule out are the kids who benefit from martial arts the most.