Karate for a 6 Year Old Boy Who Is "Handsy"?

Just my two cents for you, I haven't heard of any parent who withdrew his/her child from martial arts classes. Tae Kwon Do, Ju Jitsu and Karate are all great forms of physical as well as mental discipline. Take a free class and see how he likes it, most places offer a free trial. Go for it. Worst case he doesn't enjoy it, take him out and try it another time. However, I have heard that it's pricey as far as "contracts" and uniforms, test and belt costs, etc. That's the *only* reason we've delayed. Good luck!

One of my children took karate when she was younger. The experience
was absolutely wonderful. The class taught discipline, self-respect, safety
and attentiveness.
S.H. is right about a traditional class. My daughter's teacher expected the class to respect him and the others. Clowning around and busting out moves was not acceptable.
Now, there is another class locally that is more non-traditional taught by another instructor. It's geared toward smaller kids. They play excercise games first. And do karate the second half of the class. But, it's nothing like a traditional karate class.
Talk w/ the Sensei (teacher) ahead of time and arrange to observe a class. OR Sometimes on websites... Videos of the classes might be available for viewing.
I do rec karate...It's wonderful !

I think the Karate' might in fact teach your son boundaries in terms of when it's ok to put your hands on a person .. The instructors are very good about teaching the kids discipline (at least this was my experience when my son went) Therefore, I think it might be a good idea. Additionally, maybe pull the instructor aside ahead of time and let them know your concerns... A good instructor will have dealt with this situation before and will probably have some good advice for you. Also, I don't think Karate' makes a person more aggressive, but rather helps them to channel that energy in a more positive manner..

Dojos... will let a person try it out for free at first.
Most dojos will start a child at 5 years old.

My daughter takes Karate. She LOVES it. She's been taking it for a few years already.
The youngest ones there are 5 years old.
Kids of ALL energy levels. There are even ADHD kids there. And it is fine.
She did try Tae Kwon Do, but did not like it.

Martial arts, is NOT ABOUT "aggressiveness." It is about, discipline.
Control. Gauging things and reactions and situations... per yourself and, others and your body/coordination etc.
And sure, it is a physical activity.

BUT, it is a lesson. In a person's whole being.
And if he is out of hand, the Sensei, WILL speak to him and correct him.
My daughter's teachers/dojo is very traditional.
If a kid acts up, they get reprimanded.
So as a parent, know, that.
And as a parent, you can ALSO tell the Sensei, about your concerns about your child. The Sensei teachers at my daughter's dojo, KNOW that some of the kids are ADHD or Aspergers etc. You as a parent, TELL the Sensei that, so that they are aware of your child's, concerns.
That is being, responsible about your child, to the Teacher.

A martial arts class, would be beneficial.
But keep in mind, that at least at my daughter's Dojo... they do NOT "coddle" a child. So as a parent, know that.
And "show offs" are not, tolerated.

And at my daughter's Dojo, some of the parents ALSO take the class, with their child! There are all ages there, kids and adults. Even my daughter's Sensei, his own Sensei will be there too sometimes... and he is at least in his 80's. A top level Karate Sensei, world wide.

At my daughter's Dojo, classes are not expensive. It is not a "money maker" for the Sensei at all. They do it, because they want to help kids, not to make money. And these Teachers, are all, well known in the community and are all high ranked black belts, some being Police officers as well. And they have been teaching for decades. Their Alumni, even if now grown up, will still come by and refresh their skills and/or help to teach the underlings as volunteers.

Martial arts require and teach discipline and control and I'm sure in all, but know for sure in Tae Kwon Do, respect, for others and self. If he was not keeping his hands to himself he would be corrected by the Master. Aggressiveness is not taught.

My nephew, 11, can be high energy and unfocused so my sister placed him in Tae Kwon Do about a year and a half ago. It has helped him tremendously and he's testing for his black belt a week from today :)

If anything, it will teach him how to physically and mentally control his actions. Our dojo spends a lot of time with the kids practicing 'control.' Holding stances, not allowing an instructor to distract you, and waiting for commands to 'go' (aka punch, kick, etc.) all help them learn some impulse control. And the one-on-one self defense they practice with each other is a great way to learn your boundaries. They will punch or kick as if they were going to defend themselves, but it's only practice so you quickly learn to control your motion so as to not hit your partner - or else you'll become a very unpopular partner very quickly! Look for a family class where dad can participate with DH.

Tai Kwon Do is a great discipline for kids. Perfect for those kids that have lots of energy. I highly recommend it. Safety is emphasized along with "we do not do this at home, or school." That is a very important part of it.
I am sure you can do a test class.

I think Tae Kwan Do would be good. It is about disapline. Really more about learning to control your body for the first yr or so. He might be frustrated with that but with the right teacher it would be invaluable to him. If his Dad were to take a class with him, family style, that would be good, too.

He sounds like kinesthetic learner. Look for ways to capitalize on that knowledge and ask his teachers about it.

Also, read, The Five Love Languages, apparently his love language may be physical touch. My youngest one is that way. He could never sit next to you, he had to sit on you, lol! That also made spanking him out of the question. Luckily, you could just talk to him.

Good luck!

I have trained in TaeKwonDo & Karate for a total of 10 years. I earned my black belt in karate at age 50 and am now working towards my 2nd degree black belt. My daughter started at 5 and will be testing for her black belt in June, at 11. I also taught kids' classes for two years.

I saw kids of all levels of ability and all challenges gain from the discipline and focus of the martial arts, and to benefit from seeing their own success. Martial arts is less about competing with others, though you can do that, than it is about seeing what it is possible for you to accomplish.

Go visit a couple of schools while they are teaching a kids' class before you decide. The teachers should be firm and expect a high level of respect, but there should be time for a little fun, too. The instructors should be emphasizing self-defense and that karate is only used when it is necessary, not on their friends or siblings.

Be sure to ask about the pricing and what is included. Some roll everything into a monthly payment, some charge extra for every test/belt. Check to see if the class schedule works for your family. And, most schools will allow a free class, or a short trial period for a low price to be sure you like it.

Karate will teach him respect, control, patience and many other things. Sounds like it would be a great fit for him.

The first thing martial arts teaches is self discipline. The next is respect. He will learn to keep his hands off other people. He will learn to control aggressiveness. He will be taught that fake ninja-move playing is not okay. He will also be taught that using real martial arts is never, ever okay as 'play' with your friends.

At 6, being "handsy" is NOT ok. I would 100% put him into a traditional martial arts class. He will learn self control and boundaries. It will also provide him an outlet for his energy. I think your son would benefit. My son takes karate and it has benefitted his confidence tremendously. Just make sure it's real karate (not playing around, he is old enough) and it is not a chain school with contracts, ect.

It would be great. He will learn self-discipline and about personal space. Take him!

Martial arts isn't just about teaching him to be a ninja and do ninja moves. It's about teaching approriateness. Is it appropriate to be aggressive at this time? Or should I step away?

It will teach him discipline. A good instructor will teach him to respect his own space as well as the space of others. I suggest it.

I would have him give it a try. There isn't really a downside to it. My son tried it at 5 and enjoyed it for about 5 sessions. It is all about disciplined acts and moves. He got tired of it and found it boring but many of the kids enjoyed it. My kid is more of a soccer, play freeze tag kind of kid.

Plus the time with dad is priceless!

Karate can be a great place to study karate. If you are concerned that he will become more agressive find a school that focuses on defense. Though many school do teach control wether they are agressive or defensive based.

My almost 5 year old sounds similar to your son and I am looking into getting him into martial arts.