Parents on the Mat: Our Parent Participation Trial

13 hours ago

3 min read

Aloha, Mindful Martial Arts ohana!

You may notice a few new faces on the mat this fall, and some of them are a bit taller than usual. We're trying something new: a small number of parents are joining their keiki's classes as students.

Training alongside your child can be a powerful experience. You build a shared language, you understand what they're learning, and they get to watch you be a beginner, working hard at something new. That's a lesson in focus, discipline, and confidence all on its own.

You'll also pick up skills to practice and play with your keiki at home.

How It Works

Participating parents join class as students, just like everyone else. That means:

Lining up with the class at the start and end of each session
Taking part in mindfulness practice and all warm-ups and exercises
Following coach instructions the same way our keiki do

On the mat, there are coaches and there are students, grown-ups included, with one nod to local culture: our keiki will call participating parents "Uncle" or "Auntie," as a sign of respect for their elders.

Guidelines for Participating Parents

To keep class safe, focused, and fun for every student, we ask participating parents to follow a few guidelines:

Leave the coaching to the coaches. Please don't correct or instruct other students, including your own child. The exception is when you're paired with your child for a drill. Then you're partners, and helping each other is part of the exercise.
Partner only with your own child. For the safety of all our students, parents are never paired with other kids. You'll drill with your own keiki, or with another adult when that's available.
Watch or drill during free rolling. Parents don't take part in live training. During that part of class, you're welcome to watch or keep drilling technique.

For Parents Watching from the Side

If you're watching class and wondering what the grown-ups are doing out there, now you know! Everything above applies to them.

We also have a request for everyone off the mat: please wait to talk to your child (or any student) until class is over, or until a water break when they're off the mat. When students hear one clear voice, their coach's, they stay safer and more focused.

If you're ever concerned about any child's safety on the mat: Call out "COACH! SAFETY ISSUE" and point and we will address it right away.

Spots Are Limited - To Sign Up Do This

To keep classes running smoothly, we're limiting each class to just a few participating adults. Parents join by approval, which lets us make sure each class stays a good fit for everyone. If you're interested, talk with Coach Gabe after class or reply to our text.

The Details

Trial period: Now through the end of October. After that, we'll look at how it went and decide whether to continue.
Cost: No fee during the trial
WHAT YOU NEED: A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gi. Bring your own, or pick one up at the studio. Please purchase it ahead of time via our store and have a copy of your receipt ready for viewing on your mobile phone. We have plenty in stock.