You might naturally associate martial arts with hollywood stunts and kicks and punches, but the self-defense aspect of martial arts is just part of it. Children that learn martial arts develop the confidence to know that if they are ever bullied, they have the skills they need to defend themselves. However, the real skill we teach is diffusing situations with words before they ever escalate to a physical level.
Martial arts help teach self-discipline and socialization skills. In fact, many parents whose children have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) report great success with these programs because self-control and concentration are commonly underdeveloped skills in ADHD kids.
And did we mention … martial arts are FUN!