Competitive sports are not for all kids. Especially kids with neurodiverse brains.
That is true for my oldest son.
Henry tried basketball for a season and baseball for a few years. He had fun, but he struggled to focus, struggled to maintain the level of competitiveness his teammates felt and struggled to thrive under the often negative, pressure-filled coaching environment. What looked like a lack of effort from the outside was, in reality, a brain that was working differently—one that needed structure, clarity, and encouragement.
Parenting neurodiverse kids can be intense. But the things that keep me up up at night aren’t the grades on his report card. It’s helping him find where he fits – where his unique gifts, his style of brilliance and his silly personality can be celebrated.
When we landed at Ko Martial Arts, it felt like a big sigh of relief.
KOMA has been a safe place for Henry. He has instructors who are investing in him and who understand that things like eye contact, processing feedback, and staying on task don’t always come naturally for kids with ADHD. Instead of punishing those challenges, they coach through them. They repeat instructions without frustration or shame. They model respect and patience in a way that helps kids imitate those same traits.
Each quarter, he learns techniques and a Taekwondo routine. He also focuses on a character trait like active listening, confidence or resilience. What’s unique is how those traits are reinforced beyond the mat. In order to earn stripes on his belt, he has homework like getting feedback from a parent, friend or teacher on how well he is demonstrating that quarter’s trait. Each homework assignment is tailored to the child’s age.
This is powerful for Henry in connecting abstract ideas with actions he can work on everyday, with multiple opportunities for him to succeed.
Yes, he is learning to do a roundhouse kick and he even can swing a mean nunchuck. I love that he’s being active with zero screens involved. But as owner Bronson Ko says, martial arts are just the tool being used to develop him into a good human and future leader.
And ultimately, that’s what matters most to me. More than trophies, rings or stats, I want each of my kids to grow into kind, capable people who make a positive difference in the world.
For Henry, and so many kids, KOMA is the training ground to achieve that goal.
KOMA has programs for kids preschool age through adults! If you want to try KOMA for your kids, sign up for a complimentary first class.
