When your child first starts taking martial arts classes at a Patenaude school, they are immediately introduced to the concept of “work first, and rewards follow.”

We don’t make this obvious; it’s actually a part of the way we teach our children’s martial arts classes. Every child goes through a process of learning, demonstrating what they learn, and then earning recognition for their work and achievements.

Most children really have no idea what they’re capable of, and it’s our job to give them opportunities to break through their limitations. Once a child realizes their own vast potential, there’s really no limit to what they can accomplish.

Having a “commitment to excellence” is not just lip service at Patenaude academies. After just a few months here, your child will actually learn to increase their expectations for what they can achieve. These days there are very few environments where a child is exposed to that sort of winning attitude all the time. But once your child catches what we call the “excellence bug” they’ll continue to strive for personal improvement.

And due to the constant positive feedback and support they receive they’ll continue making the right actions and choices… perhaps even for life.

This training also results in your child learning to choose better behaviors as well. We pride ourselves on being “good finders” and not “bad finders” when it comes to teaching kids martial arts. Instead of looking for what’s not right, instead we reinforce what your child is doing well at any given moment.

This subtle shift has an extremely powerful effect on your child’s behavior… and their willingness to make positive choices. We teach each child how they’re personally responsible for their own actions (and also the consequences and rewards that result).

Although we do use verbal lessons and cues to teach this, we also do this by providing them with real learning experiences so they realize their choices impact their future.