Intergenerational Taekwondo. This is the way.

Previously, I penned a few thoughts about whether parents should step on the mat with their children. It took me several years to do it myself, but once I did, I was hooked. There’s no going back. In that piece, I focused on the benefits for me personally. I want to revisit this idea a bit and think more about the intergenerational benefits.

Currently, I live 700 miles from my closest blood relatives (other than my children, who are still living at home). There are arguments to be made about why that could be good or bad, but I often think, sadly, about the loss of an intergenerational connection that is more common than not in our fast-paced society.

Intergenerational bonds are valuable

This is more important than we might think. The quality of intergenerational support among parents and children has been used to predict the well-being of children. I find it interesting that this is also true of the parent generation. In other words, intergenerational relationships are critical for both children and their parents. It makes sense to me, then, that efforts to improve those relationships are worthwhile.

The role of Taekwondo

Parent-child relationships are important to establish healthy habits related to diet and exercise in children. However, parenthood itself often leads to a less healthy diet and poor exercise habits. I can think of no better way to reverse this course than by joining your children on the mats for Taekwondo class. If both parents and children continue to pursue proficiency in Taekwondo over time, a lifelong bond will be established and a healthy lifestyle will be encouraged for parents and children. I hope to someday step on the mats with my grandchildren.

Intergenerational Taekwondo Programs

With the idea of improving bonds between generations and, therefore, overall wellbeing, researchers from Indiana University and Kyung Hee University-Global Campus in Korea are promoting the establishment of intergenerational Taekwondo Programs.

Key concepts include:

• Establishing common goals by emphasizing “training-related concepts that all generations can apply within the program and achieve together.”

• Making concessions for differences in physical abilities such as strength, flexibility, or body coordination.

• Providing incentives. While this can be accomplished in various ways, the belt ranking system is already integral to the martial arts. Used to establish rank and skill levels, it provides a natural reward for hard work and perseverance.

• Encouraging the different generations to support each other in achieving their goals.

In addition, the idea of incorporating a wide range of ages in a Taekwondo class is similar in some ways to the multi-aged classroom used in many Montessori schools. This is the idea that younger children learn from older children and then as they grow, they become the “teachers.” In Taekwondo, this concept is especially rich as you include the respect earned by means of belt rank with the wisdom that comes from age and experience.

Find a great school and stick with it

As always, it is important to acknowledge that not every Taekwondo school is created equal. Finding the “right” school takes time but is worth the effort. For me personally, there are so many benefits to practicing Taekwondo. Being able to participate on the mat with my children brings a whole new perspective. It has enabled me to understand more fully the challenges they face as they learn to live out the 5 tenets of Taekwondo. I would like nothing more than to continue practicing with my children as long as possible.