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Expert Q&A

	By Mindy Hudon Speech and Language Pathologist

I have twins who need a little push in the self-confidence department. Any suggestions?

Karate.

I was surprised to see how karate has developed self-confidence in my twins. One of my boys often relied on his twin to make friends and feared interacting with peers on his own. A few months after starting karate he started to become more outgoing by taking the lead in meeting new friends. Instead of running to me when an unfamiliar child at the playground accidentally pushed him, he turned around and "used his words" to inform that child not to push.

Karate teaches more than kicks and punches. It teaches children to have respect for others, to be focused and disciplined, as well as how to be safe. I have seen a great improvement in their focus and attention. Watching them in class the first few months was like fingernails on a chalkboard. They were looking all around, asking too many questions and hardly paying attention to instructions. Although I was freaked out about their behavior it didn't seem to bother the instructors, who provided guidance and encouragement.

Today, my twins are often at the front of the class leading the warm-up and quickly learning new things. They can stay focused throughout most of the session and follow the rules of the class. These days I chuckle to myself when I see another mother of twins anxiously watch her children during their first few months of training. I reassure her that they will grow in karate too (as I gently try to remove her fingernails from the chalkboard).

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