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ADHD and Tae kwon do - Your Child's Success Strategy

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Written by Kalynn Amadio

Saturday, 19 April 2008

A child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder known as ADHD is gifted with spontaneity, creativeness and the ability to focus intensely on any task they take an interest in.

by KalynnAmadio

A child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder known as ADHD is gifted with spontaneity, creativeness and the ability to focus intensely on any task they take an interest in.

On the flip side, that same child can be difficult to parent due to frequent distractibility, impulsiveness, aggressiveness and hyperactivity. These traits usually define the ADHD child to the outside world and label them as "troublemakers" which can irreparably damage self-esteem.

Children are frequently distracted or inattentive and often impulsive on occasion, but a child living with ADHD experiences these attributes most of the time. A parent has a great deal of influence in helping their child perceive these character traits as advantageous, not a liability.

Regardless of the name, ADHD is not just a lack of the ability to be attentive, but it is the ability to deeply focus on a topic of choice. The ADHD child doesn't lack focus but tends to apply that focus in inappropriate ways. She has a low tolerance for idleness and gets bored easily.

Sports can be a positive or negative experience for any child but especially the ADHD child. Releasing excess energy is a plus but team sports are often frustrating if the child can't learn to follow the rules or play their specific part for the team.

Tae kwon do, a martial art, can be a tremendously beneficial for the ADHD child as it permits controlled aggressive behavior in a safe environment. An instructor provides direction that is immediately followed so that it retains relevance and gives instant satisfaction.

Tae kwon do stresses self-confidence and control which, when mastered, raises self-esteem for any student. ADHD children can benefit from this type of instruction because it increases confidence and they learn to see what some call negative character traits as positive attributes.

Children learn the "right action" at the right moment which tempers impulsiveness and turns it into a positive action. Boredom is negligible due to the fast active pace of a martial arts class that is full of jumping and spinning, punching and kicking; the hyperactive child can unleash behavior in an appropriate way and be praised for it.

And martial arts training focuses on respect and tolerance for others while receiving the same regardless of what label may have been given in other environments.

Many people assume ADHD is primarily a boy problem but this is not true. ADD which is the same disorder without the hyperactivity component, is diagnosed in girls in equal numbers to boys with ADHD. Both disorders are genetic; studies show 25% of children diagnosed have a parent with Attention Deficit.

You do not outgrow ADHD, so finding ways to mitigate its negative influences is critical to your child's success. Give them the opportunity to learn how to turn these traits into advantages that can carry them throughout life.

Remember that the ADHD child carries positive traits that are often cultivated by successful businesspeople, entrepreneurs and athletes. Spontaneity, creativity, fast thinking, intense concentration, tenacity and high energy describe the most successful in our history like Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison and Mozart. That's good company.

About the Author:

To find out more about how tae kwon do training can benefit your ADHD child, visit Kalynn Amadio's great website Taekwondo-Network and read more about the types of classes a good school offers for kids tae kwon do lessons. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

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