Love Languages: A Secret to Finding a Happier Home Life

     Hollywood is selling us a version of love that is a mushy, wonderful thing full of butterflies, romance, and exotic adventures without price tags. We love the idea of this love, but the older we get the more we realize that love, at least the true enduring kind, is more of an exercise of self discipline, sacrifice, and putting others first. Butterflies occur, but they are completely optional rather than a guarantee. Our children are also sold this same image of perfect love from an early age in the form of storybooks, movies, and music. We all want that fictitious, easy love regardless of age. That’s why we return to our favorite love stories and rom-coms like a favorite well worn t-shirt, they just fill us up in a way reality cannot match. As adults, we recognize this for a brief respite into a fictional world, but our children cannot yet separate the two. 

     As parents we love our children and then love them some more. We pour into them every spare second and dollar we have. So it is frustrating when we as parent’s come home from a work trip with a present that gets a lackluster response, or when returning home after an outing planned especially for our little one the whining and complaining begins almost instantaneously. This acting out isn’t fair. We just loved them so hard and our reward is being taken for granted or behavioral issues. So how do we make our home a happier, less contentious place? How do we get our children to see we love them the best we can? Especially when the majority of us, as parents, already feel stressed out and overwhelmed?? I mean there are only so many hours in a day. Social media is pushing in our faces the idea that we simply aren’t doing enough for our child and that if we do more the warzone in our home will cease and our child will suddenly become the little angel we all know they are at their core. Surprisingly it isn’t a matter of needing to do more for our kiddos, it is a simple matter of needing to do some things better.

     The answer lies in Gary Chapman’s theory of 5 love languages. A love language is how we prefer to show love to others and how we best understand expressions of love from someone else. For example presents are nice, but that doesn’t fill some of us up the way a sink of empty dishes or a sweet back rub does. When our love language actions don’t match the language of our child, we can love them to the best of our ability without them feeling much of anything at all. As such, our love actions should be intentionally geared towards filling up our child’s very individualized emotional love tanks.

     Speaking from experience, it is easy to recognize times in our life when we felt emotionally low, running on empty from giving so much of ourselves to others. Our children are the same way. When our child’s love tank is nearing empty it is hard for them to be or do their best. They are more likely to get angry or act out. So the easiest thing we can do to fix our home life is to begin to recognize our child’s individual love language(s) so we can love them in a way that feels like true love to them.

     Here at Raise a Warrior we believe that finding and learning to speak love in your child’s primary and secondary love language will go a long way towards avoiding miscommunications, preventing behavioral issues, and most importantly promoting healthy relationships as it helps them truly feel your love and the priority they are within your life. We hope that you take time to read the following article and start making plans to level up your parenting because after all everyone just wants and needs to be loved and appreciated a little more. Happy parenting!

WHAT IS YOUR CHILD'S LOVE LANGUAGE?

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Looking to find more ways to spend time with your kiddo and fill up their love tank? 

Join us on the mat each month for Family Participation Days. 

(Upcoming family participation days are December 3rd and 4th) 

#FamilyTimeIsTheBestTime

Gratitude: In the Holidays and Beyond

     Looking around at today's culture we can clearly see evidence of a growing trend that is sub-optimal to say the least. More and more young people are growing up, feeling that the world genuinely revolves around them. So how do we curb this growing me epidemic in a culture that is all about selfie?? As parent's we can easily recall times when we felt frustrated or embarrassed by how ungrateful our child has been in moments past. We also know, realistically that life is hard and can't be relied on to gift our child's every heart's desire and whim. So how do we ensure our children truly learn to appreciate all they have? A grateful attitude is so much more than training our littles to recite a polite "thank you" to friends and family. At this time of holiday cheer we know that gratitude, especially when practiced daily, brings so much added joy to our lives. So how do we make grateful hearts the underlying theme in our home in this season of thankfulness and beyond? We scoured the internet and hope that the following ideas will make the upcoming holiday season that much brighter and better.

     So first things first, you've recognize the need for more gratitude in your child. Now the hard part. We have to truly take a look at our own actions and how they play into this. I mean we do all this great stuff for our kids... outings, activities, gifts, the list goes on... we fill their time with joy and then the second we are home the whining and complaining begins again with full force. Our frustration is almost instantaneous. Can't they see we work so hard for them?! This cycle of us trying to fulfill our child's every desire, ungrateful whining, and frustration begins again and again. But the truth is we don't have to do all these things for them. We live in a world where picture perfect parenting is pushed into our face 24/7 and so like any peer pressure gimmick we feel the need to do more, buy more, and be more for our child. The truth is it is ok for a child to want non-necessities or for there to be a regular delay in gratification. If you aren't happy with your child's behavior look first to your role in the situation.


     Luckily for us our children becoming needy and demanding is not inevitable. Nothing is set in stone and even the most distractible, still developing child can be set on the right path and taught to be thankful for the blessings in their life. Gratitude is more than just words or even a behavior, it is an internal experience and an overall outlook on life. It involve us not only NOTICING the things people give or do for us, it involves us THINKING about why the would show us such care, connecting that with how we FEEL about receiving such kindness, and then DOING something to express our appreciation. The key to our children developing an attitude of gratitude is for them to start NOTICING, THINKING, FEELING, and then DOING something about it.
   
     This plus a daily effort to count our blessings will lead to better quality of relationships all around as well as increased happiness and less complaining in your home. I don't know about you, but that sounds like a win to us. So invest the added time and effort into teaching your child the principle of gratitude. Not only will it benefit everyone now, but it also arms your child with the emotional strength and fortitude to make it through life's times of plenty and times of hardship with grace and a grateful heart.

We hope you have the happiest of Thanksgivings this week! 

And we are so incredibly grateful for every single one of you!!!

11 Tips for Instilling True Gratitude in Your Kids

#RaiseAWarrior

 

Confidence: the Wind Beneath Your Child's Wings

    Do you remember orphan Annie, the Hardy Boys, or Nancy Drew? Wouldn't it be nice is we could all raise kids with the confidence and compassion of these spunky characters? Sure, most of our children won't be orphaned with an evil headmistress or facing off criminals in their spare time, but the reality of a hard knock life is for everyone. We can't protect our children from this forever. So we have to make the most of this truth by seeking to equip our children with enough confidence to not only make it through these trials, but to also thrive in the face of adversity.

     Self confidence, in the truest sense of the word, stems from a deep and internal sense of security, a feeling of competence. It requires us to be able to realistically view our abilities through a positive internal filter. This feeling of competence rises with achievement and perseverance in the face of failure. Now I know we don't want to see our children fail or be sad because of a loss. What kind of parent would get excited over that?! But the truth is we have to remember our job is to work until we are no longer needed. Retirement is a goal. We want our kids to grow up- living full, independent lives beyond the safety of us and our homes. We don't want to look to the future and realize our child will be living in our basement for all eternity. Is it scary to think of our kiddos being on their own? Absolutely! But the truth is the best gift we can give our children is to curb our own anxieties, giving our children room to grow deep roots and their own wings. Unconditional love is their roots and self-confidence will be their wings. Without these things a future of big Johnny asking you to heat up Hot Pockets while he plays Fortnight endlessly is far too real for comfort.

     So how do we raise confident kids without losing our mind's as parents or becoming an empty praise pusher? Luckily as martial arts instructors we're helping a little bit in that department. Children learn to recognize and build upon their strengths as they practice techniques, and achieve increasingly more difficult goals. They also learn how to handle defeat, and rely on a team while they take time to set goals focused on strengthening their weaknesses. But confidence is so important it needs to be an integrated part of your child's life, definitely more than 45 minutes of growth on the mat twice a week. 

     We've been talking with your warriors about confidence all month long in our mat chats, but as parents there is so much more YOU can do to set your child on the path of success. 

• Model self love so your little one understands they are ultimately their best cheerleader. 
• Celebrate the process more than the result. 
• And most importantly don't be afraid to let them fail. 

     This will be a journey of resilience for the both of you, but one we promise you won't regret in the end. Looking for more ideas on how to raise a confident warrior? Check out this awesome article we found to help get you started making your child's confidence a priority.

9 Secrets of Confident Kids

Until next time! 

#RaiseAWarrior

Instructor Spotlight: Mr. Aidan

Mr. Aidan is AWESOME! 

He grew up in our children's program, got his Junior Black Belt, and he's still kicking butt years later. We're grateful to have such an awesome youth who is so willing to give back 

to future generations of Warriors.

He loves working at Warrior's Way because:

"It's like getting paid to play with kids, while making them better people."

The kiddos love Mr Aidan because: 

He's the big brother figure all of our new students get to first meet and hang out with on their first day.

He's always trying to make them laugh with his silly antics.

He gives the best hugs when someone's having a bad day.

His appreciation for good memes or dad jokes.

A little bit more about Mr Aidan:

Mr Aidan is a 17 year old senior in high school who's dream job is to work at Warrior's Way. He has 2 dogs and 1 cat. When we asked about his furry friends he said "the cat is very large." His bucket list goal is to "have enough money to be able to support my mom 100% without any drawbacks." If that doesn't show his sincere heart of gold we aren't sure what does! He definitely has a very special mom. We love that he demonstrates the Warrior virtues of gratitude and respect so well toward his number one role model.

A few of Mr Aidan's favorite things:

When it comes to food this teenager is all about honey chicken. His love of laughter and joy is clearly seen in his favorite entertainment choices- the Emperor's New Groove and the TV show Community. His favorite hobbies include working out, training martial arts, and having dinner with friends. His favorite super hero is Superman and we absolutely love his reason why! When speaking about his personal hero Mr Aidan told us "my mom raised me to always hold the ideals of truth and justice above all else. My own goal is to be like Superman so it works out." He definitely fits that good-natured, boy scout, hero type role.

Some tiny Warrior pictures of Mr Aidan just for fun:

Mr. Aidan had the same goals your Warriors do! He worked hard and got his Jr. Black Belt!

Our team just wouldn't be the same without him. 

We can't thank him enough for being the 'superman' to our team!

Halloween Safety

Halloween is a magical time full of spooks, ghouls, and pumpkin fun. Kids absolutely love it. The trick or treating, classroom parties, costumes, and sugar rush all instantly make Halloween our kiddo's favorite. For parents there is often a fine line between Halloween fun and safety concerns. Here's a great post with quick tips on how to keep this spooky holiday from being a scary one.

We hope you have an AMAZING Halloween!

15 trick-or-treating safety tips to ensure a happy and healthy Halloween

#RaiseAWarrior

Tricky People: Things to Teach You Child Before Trick or Treating

     With Halloween coming up it's time to start thinking about how to protect our kiddos and ensure they have a safe night while trick or treating. Halloween can be a big scary night, but not because of costumes. Whether you trick or treat with your child, let them go in a group, send them out alone or with a sibling, Halloween can be a ripe opportunity for your child to get lost or separated from the group by accident or by people who's intentions are far from noble.

     We work on stranger danger with your Warriors regularly. We want them to feel comfortable saying "No", fighting and running (when needed) while yelling for help, and with telling a safe adult what happened after. But what if your child gets lost and needs an adult's help to locate you? Do they know how to recognize a safe stranger?? Have you reiterated how to recognize a tricky adult who might not truly be trying to help them? Do you as a family, have a safe word or password that allows your child to leave an area with another adult?


   
     These are scary topics to think about, but teaching our children the information and skills they need in order to handle unsafe situations breeds confidence- not fear. When everything is said and done, the phrase "knowledge is power" undoubtedly applies to our children keeping themselves safe. As much as we wish we could physically be present always and protect our kiddos from everything, that is just not reality. So don't lose sleep over this. You can empower your child and give them confidence by teaching them what to do in these kinds of situations.

     This article by our sister school, Pride Mixed Martial Arts in Edmond Oklahoma, offers some great advice on how to seek out a safe adult and practice feeling courageous and strong in these kind of situations. A few other safety points we would like to make include:

1. Teach your child that in addition to women (as the below article suggests), strangers in uniform (i.e. Police officers, fire fighters, EMS, nurses, military personnel, store workers, and security guards) tend to be good guys and the safest in a situation where your child is lost and/or need help
2. Teach your child that if an adults needs help, they'll ask another adult for help. Not a kid. This is important to stress because only tricky people try to lure a child away by asking a kid for their help.
3. Setup a family password. If an emergency were to arise and you or another family member cannot pick the child up from school, or an event it is best to have a family password setup in advance. This password has to be given by the neighbor or friend attempting to pick the child up before the child leaves the area with them. This is important because as much as we want to trust the people in our lives, statistics show that children are taken advantage of primarily by someone they are familiar with rather than a true stranger they've never met. Instilling a family password lets your child know all is safe and this empowers them during stressful or scary situations. Be sure to quiz them on this password routinely and change it once utilized.

Overall the important thing to remember is:

"It's not what you do for your children,

but what you have taught them to do for themselves

that will make them successful human beings" (Ann Landers)

Hope this helps! Check the full article out here and get ready 

to have an AMAZING safe and fun Halloween with your Warrior!

Teach your kids how to talk to strangers

#RaiseAWarrior 

Instructor Spotlight: Miss Vashni

Miss Vashni is AWESOME! 

She grew up in our children's program, got her Junior Black Belt, and we've been her first and only job since her teenage years.

She loves working at Warrior's Way because:

"I love spending time with the kiddos at Warrior's Way. They are all so happy and funny. They put a smile on my face every day!

The kiddos love Miss Vashni because: 

She is so sweet!

She loves to laugh and play with them

She is a great example of patience and kindness

She is never too busy to help fix a boo-boo or resolve a conflict

A little bit more about Miss Vashni:

Miss Vashni (aka Bunny or Bumbi to her family here at WW) is a rock star! She is unique because she is so capable of assisting with the business side of things as well as stepping onto the mat and rocking it in class if needed. Miss Vashni is married to her sweetheart and loves her two fur baby puppies, Leeloo and Cooper, very much. She grew up in Wichita Falls pretty much her whole life. She loves working with her family and is a true asset to our team. Her heroes are parents Tuhon Harley and Krystal because "they raised me to be a strong woman and I would not be the person I am today without them!"

A few of Miss Vashni's favorite things:

When asked to pick a favorite food she said "EVERYTHING! I love food." She sure can eat for such a tiny thing. A few of Miss Vashni's other favorite things are pigs, owls, hedgehogs, dogs, babies, aimless trips to Hobby Lobby, the color burgundy, the movie Moulin Rouge, listening to music, having a dance party, and painting/drawing in her free time.

Some tiny Warrior pictures of Miss Vashni just for fun:

Miss Vashni and sister Miss Alana at their Jr. Black Belt Test

Our team just wouldn't be the same without her. 

We can't thank her enough for everything she does!

Parenting Styles: How to Make the Change

     As a part of the team helping raise your Warrior child we know that this parenting thing is not an exact science. Parenting your little is a roller coaster of a journey with lots of ups, downs, and unforgettable memories. We wish there was a cheat code that instantly helped you raise a well rounded child, but we haven't found it yet. Thankfully, we are all in this together and families are the center of our mission here at Warrior's Way. So while you manage the day to day task of raising your Warrior you can count on us to be in your box, and at your back, coaching you through the hurdles of parenting.


     Last month we shared an article with y'all that touched on different parenting styles and how they affect growing children. Maybe you were familiar with Baumrind's theories or maybe that was all new info for you. Regardless, research shows that kids led by authoritative figure are stronger and more prepared for the challenges of adulthood. Authoritative parenting focuses on high expectations/limits coupled with the warmth, support, and resources your child needs to succeed. It is the same kind of consistent, positive, open reasoning leadership that we use on the mat in our academy to guide children.
      As a parent you probably already lean towards one style more than the others. It probably feels natural based on how you were raised and personal experience. However, life is about growing and changing. You can adopt a more authoritative style of parenting even if it's not your default reaction. It just takes some conscious action while you work on building these new habits. 

     Today's article gives us some easy outlined steps to start this process of change. We hope that with a little time, attention, and flexibility you can find better balance in your home. After all, leveling up your parenting skills helps the whole family learn and grow. Hope this helps!

    12 Ways to Become a More Authoritative Parent

#RaiseAWarrior 

Bye-Bye Sore Loser

sports·man·ship

noun

1. fair and generous behavior or treatment of others, especially in a sports contest.

No matter the age there is always a thrill that comes with playing a games. We can't help it. As humans our innate nature and drive is to win. Now some competition isn't necessarily a bad thing. Competitive drive is what pushes us to do better in work, relationships, academics and life in general. However, a competitive streak can easily spin out of control.

Here at Warrior's Way we're not about winning at all costs. We try to teach your kiddos that good sportsmanship means honoring everyone on the field of the competition, including opponents, instructors, parents and spectators. Because sportsmanship, when it really comes down to it isn't about games or rules, but rather it is about treating others with respect and being a good person. 

1. 
   

 

There is no great secret to teaching sportsmanship. Kids follow our lead and need chances to test what they're learning. Most Warrior characteristics are like a muscle. They need to be utilized frequently to become stronger and ingrained within your child. We know that the lessons we teach on the mat work best with what y'all are already doing at home. It's that easy. We're the adults and the kids are watching. Hope this article helps you set the example and instill the principle at home so the little Warriors can follow.

Kids Who Just Gotta Win

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Not sure what kind of sportsman your kiddo is yet? 

Put these character building lessons and their skills to the test:

Don't forget to stop by the front desk and register for 

NEXT weekend's STICK FIGHTING TOURNAMENT!!! 

Our Warriors have been training hard all month to prep for this event! 

See you on the mat. Details posted throughout our academy

Instructor Spotlight: Getting to Know Mr. Parker

Warrior's Way is a family business. 

Our team of instructors are family. We value them not only because we know they are so influential to our students and vital to our mission, but also because they are such a huge part of our personal lives. As such we want to recognize the great instructors who are helping us, help you, raise a warrior. 

In getting to know our staff we hope that you feel a greater part of our family, that you can see some of the good work our program has done for other warrior children (many of whom still train and we are blessed to have work with us and your kiddos), and that together we can grow closer as an instrumental team that is helping shape the leaders of tomorrow. Your warriors are the future and we want to help them be the very best they can be. Here are the people who are the backbone of our mission. They mean so very much to us. I hope that getting to know them a little more over the next few months sheds some light 

on our goals for you and your child.

Thank you for having us on your team and
thank you for trusting us by sharing your loved ones with us.

We love our time with your special little warrior and seeing them (and y'all) achieve goals.

Mr. Parker is AWESOME! 

He has been training with us and helping shape Little Warriors for six years!

He loves working at Warrior's Way because:

he gets to "see the growth and development in kids that continue to train over the years."

The kiddos love Mr. Parker because: 

He is always trying to make them laugh

He brings such a great energy to classes

His Bruce Lee sound effects are the best!

He is always adding spins and combat rolls to his lessons

A little bit more about Mr. Parker:

Mr. Parker went to high school here in Wichita Falls at Rider High School. He played football and came to try martial arts because a friend kept inviting him to class. Six years later it is still one of the best decisions he ever made. Mr. Parker's (or Mr. Perky to his fellow team-mates) is living out his dream job as a martial arts instructor and we are so proud of the amazing leader he has become. Leadership is definitely one of the Warrior characteristics he brings to the mat.

Our team just wouldn't be the same without him. We can't thank him enough.

Raising Compassionate Children in an Unkind World

     In today's culture compassion and kindness are under attack. We live in a highly competitive environment were selfishness and egocentrism have become the norm. It is a dog eat dog world and it kind of feels like if you aren't looking out for yourself no one will. 

     We feel that a world with that outlook will be an even darker place for our children to grow up and raise their own families in. It is up to us to stop the trend and raise the next generation to be different. As parent's you have a special job. You get to raise up the next generation of leaders. You can't rely on the world to decide what is best for your child. No one is invested in their future quite like you are. 

Our homes have to be the first line of defense. They're like preparatory battle camps where we raise our children up to be strong warriors capable of going against societal norms. Only then can we hope to create the kind of ripple effect that kindness and compassion can have on the world and our future as a whole.We love compassion because its the wellspring of so many other special qualities; like kindness, love and generosity, and will serve our children so well in multiple aspects of their lives.

     In trying to teach your kiddos about compassion this month we've been focusing on the principle of filling people's love bucket. In case you're unfamiliar with the concept, the love bucket is an invisible meter that every person carries with them. Every moment of every day that bucket is being filled with acts of love and kindness or emptied when treated poorly or facing hardship. People are being filled and crushing today or they are being drained and struggling. It has been great hearing all of your littles share with us ways they have filled or raised another person up today. They're really being creative and striving to be more compassionate in school and at home. 

     Of course our lessons are best coupled with reinforcement from their number one heroes/mentors (aka y'all) so we thought this great read might help you further instill the principle of compassion in your family's life. Happy parenting! 

5 Ways to Instill Compassion in Your Child

#RaiseAWarrior 

A Generational Call to Action

Every generation is different. We all grew up in different ages and faced different problems. As such, there isn't a lot of preparation to ready parents to face the generational struggles their children will encounter...

Currently, our technological society is molding a weaker generation. Kids these days just aren't able to connect with others as well, they are used to getting what they want (when they want it), they aren't used to overcoming failure, and overall just can't cope with the mundane aspects of life as well. 

Is this our fault? As parents we all have the best of intentions. I mean who doesn't want to make their kiddos happy 24/7? We want to give them the world! We want their lives to be awesome and enriched. We definitely don't want them to be disappointed ever because they are so special and important to us. Sound familiar? But we all make mistakes. 

I loved this article for pointing out it's ok for kids not to be happy all the time. As parents this is a mantra we need to remember. It goes against everything Pinterest and Insta parenting promotes, but the truth is our kids need us to realize this. 
The endless stream of instant happiness does not make a strong Warrior. It doesn't help our children cope with the realities of the world in the long term.

Take a look at this and see if this call to action resonates with you. Change might be met with eye rolls and resistance for a little bit, 
but it always leads to a brighter future.

REASONS TODAY’S KIDS ARE BORED, ENTITLED, IMPATIENT WITH FEW REAL FRIENDS

#RaiseAWarrior

Fall Family Fun

The weather is about to start cooling down.
So it's a great time to start planning things you can do with your family.

Get outside, see the colors and make some memories.
Here's an article with over 30 awesome ideas for activities you can do as a family.
I think I'm going to have to find an apple orchid!!

30+ Fall Activities Every Family Should Do This Season

Digital Diversions During Family Time

I hear it all the time "Kids spend to much time on electronics." 
But in this day and age is it realistic to have a total ban on digital devices?  



I think parents need to ask themselves "Are digital diversions robbing us of the vital lessons of play and connection when it comes to raising families?"


Here's an article that has some advice on why moderation may be a better answer over a total ban:
Why spending time with the family is more important than ever

The BEST thing you can GIVE your child is your time and attention!

Join us on the mat each month for Family Participation Days. #FamilyTimeIsTheBestTime

#RaiseAWarrior

Parenting Style Matters

Parenting is hard and it doesn't come with a rule book. 

There are times when we rock this parenting thing
and times when we feel like we are reacting to situations as they come.
When it comes to our kids, how we respond and parent matters.
Take a look at these four common parenting styles and see if you are parenting purposefully
or if you need to adjust the way things are running in your Warrior home.

Hang in there parents! You are all heroes in our eyes

4 Types of Parenting Styles and Their Effects on Kids

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Start a Conversation

It's back to school season and we are all getting back in the swing of things. 

With all of the new routines, schedules, and homework goings on 

it is important for us to keep our focus on what really matters, our families. 

It takes less than 10 minutes a day to make those meaningful connections 

and let our kiddos know they're still the center of our busy world.

This article offered a twist on the age old "How's your day" and will hopefully spark 

some more memorable and heart warming conversations with your littles as you bustle about to your next thing (be it martial arts class, tutoring, sports events or even home for dinner and homework).

Have a great week Warriors!

30 Questions to Ask Your Kid, Instead of "How Was Your Day?"

#RaiseAWarrior

A Healthy Gaming Diet

We hate to admit it sometimes, but times have changed. Video games/electronics are an ever increasing presence in ours and our children's lives. Looking back fondly to our Galaga, Street Fighter, and Dr. Mario gaming days we too can recognize the allure these systems have and the pull they exert on our time. 

Gaming doesn't have to run the house though.

 In all things, our kiddos need us to set limits and help them understand what a healthy day consists of. This crosses into all aspects: food, exercise, character development, and yes- gaming and electronics. Take the World War 3 out of gaming by remaining vigilant.

"Don’t be afraid to step in 

and restore balance in your kids’ lives."

A little gaming is A-ok! But too much of anything can easily become a monster of a problem.

Hope this helps! 

Gaming doesn't have to be addicting

#RaiseAWarrior

Being Brave is a Decision

With our hectic lives it's easy to get too busy and forget the little things.

However, you want to make sure you don't miss opportunities to teach

you kiddo important life lessons.  Take advantage of moments you are given

to teach them things like compassion, strength, kindness and bravery.

They are not born with these attributes. They are all choices you have to make.

It's our job to motivate them to make that choice!!

"Being brave is not a feeling. It is a decision. It is a decision that compassion is more important than fear, more important than fitting in, and more important than following the crowd."

As parents, teacher, coaches, role models etc. We HAVE to teach the next generation these important life lessons. At Warrior's Way, daily, we teach lessons as soon as they arise. Daily you can motivate your child to make a conscious decision to be brave. Pointing out bravery in simple mundane things will boost their ability to choose bravery in hard things. Point out how impressed you are by their bravery in going to school and taking a spelling test. Whether they are in 1st grade or 10th grade, it is still hard at the time. 

Doing something as simple as this will wire their brain to be brave when it is hard. Whether it's standing up to a bully, giving a speech/presentation in college, you will have wired their brain early on that THEY CAN do hard things and they ARE BRAVE. They have been brave since they were little so what is stopping them now as a teenager or young adult?

In your day to day lives, look for teachable moments. Look for the moments when you can help your child learn and grow to be a strong and capable adult one day.

You've got this! We've got this.

#RaiseAWarrior