Help Her/Him Get Ready for the New School Year

Wouldn’t you love for your child to develop Life Success Skills that included Self-Protection & Safety, while learning to Focus, Create Self-Discipline & Control, and gain true Self-Confidence, which would develop her/his character in a positive way?


From the Martial Arts Studio of Clara E Minor & Dio P Santiago:

Hello to all Parents and Caregivers~

If your child’s well-being is a priority for you (and we know it is), why wouldn’t you want her/him to have the skills necessary to succeed in life?

Wouldn’t you want for her/him to learn skills for staying safe, dealing with bullies and knowing what to do when they are around someone who is clearly "uncomfortable" to her/him?

There are a myriad of challenges our children face daily. What is truly the most important thing in life you’d like for your child? The details of your answer are as varied as the next person’s. You probably want many things for your child (or children) as we do for ours, and many of those involve achievement of some sort or another.

You love them dearly, and they are very precious to you. And we know you are concerned about many things, including their safety. And what about self-confidence? Doesn’t every parent want confident children—children who can hold their own and stand up to bullies… or a child who can speak up about an abusive adult?… or a child who can go up on stage and do an outstanding performance… or give a speech with self-confidence evident in her/his voice and mannerisms?… or get an A on the next report card?

You can send your child out into the world armed with skills necessary for succeeding at whatever challenges may come their way. At the very least they will have the confidence to tackle it and give it their best shot. And isn't positive character development a goal for all parents?

Life success happens with a group of skills that need to be learned.

You send them to school every day, hoping they are learning all they can to succeed in their studies. You send them off, hoping that they will be safe in all regards (peer pressure, bullies, accidents, foul weather conditions, etc.)

Yet, there are many things that are out of your control when they are not with you. How can you best be sure your child has, at the very least, some basic skills for dealing with challenges?

And is your child as disciplined as you would like?

What parent doesn’t want their child to have self-discipline…the ability to self-monitor agreements and responsibilities. Even young children can begin the process of self-discipline with age-appropriate skills. Children need tools for knowing how to keep agreements and take responsibility for their age (i.e. putting away the toys they play with, making sure the crayons are in their container, etc.). If your child borrows something from another child, do they know they need to give it back? Will they do so? Or is it a constant reminder on your part?

How would life be different for your child if s/he had some basic, but powerful, skills for dealing with challenges?

Just think about what would be different if your child started getting all A’s on their report card. Or if they suddenly said they got a part in a play, or they made the soccer team? Or they cleaned their room without reminders? Or they won an award for their project? Or they successfully dealt with a bully at the bus stop? Or, (fear of all fears) they told you they got away from a predator?

Wouldn’t these skills give you a level of pride, sense of security and peace of mind?


Give your child the gift of self-confidence to move ahead in life with new skills. These skills will empower and strengthen your child's decisions in a healthy and positive way for life success and positive character development. Read how our martial arts program will empower her/him.

Register your child

Children’s Martial Arts Program (MANOSAMIN)

YOUR CHILD can GAIN the EDGE in life to succeed in school, at play, and at home!

Are you looking for something your child can do that will enable her/him to succeed in all aspects of life?

Does your child deal with bullies at school ineffectively? Are her/his grades suffering because of situations at school that make them uncomfortable?

Do you constantly “nag” them to clean up their rooms and do other chores around the house?

If you have several children, do they squabble constantly?

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could find a solution that addresses ALL of the above?

What is the one thing you would like for your child that would make her/his life different in a very positive way?

Is discipline a problem around your house?

Or maybe your child just needs a little more confidence boosting?

Are you afraid for your child’s safety? We have all seen the news and know that perpetrators are in every neighborhood. The problem is that you don’t know who is who. People all look the same. It is hard to tell who is perpetrator just by how they dress.

There are signals that perpetrators give when accosting their next “victim” and your child can learn these in an age-appropriate manner.

You absolutely don’t want your child getting scared more than they already might be. Training should allow them to release fears instead of creating more. This is where age-appropriate training is essential. A child’s maturity will dictate what they are able to comprehend.

MANOSAMIN provides training using simple components and techniques to give children the proper body motion that helps them to coordinate their minds with their bodies. The results of this training deliver benefits not available with any other type of discipline or sport. Although the training goes deeper than just the physical level, the children are unaware of the changes on these levels. They just know they have fun when they come to class, and they begin to feel really good.

As their primary caregivers, you will notice the changes in your child. Although they don't quite realize what changes are taking place, they do feel the confidence they are building within. This confidence permeates every aspect of their lives. These positive changes will be obvious to you and your child's teachers alike.

By re-training muscle memory for optimal performance, they will become strong in mind and body. They achieve the physical tools they need to defend and protect themselves, as well as learning valuable lessons in how to conduct their lives. They begin to understand respect for themselves and for others in their lives. Their confidence in themselves and their abilities will grow as their bodies begin to “feel” different. They begin to sense the personal power they are gaining, and feel very good about themselves. They can literally change their lives through this training.

They receive more than just a “class.” This program is structured progressively. This simply means that lessons will progress to more advanced levels as your child is able to assimilate the information and knowledge into her/his body and mind.

~Physical Benefits

• develop strength & power with balance
  
  By practicing physical skills, techniques, drills, etc., your child's body will become progressively stronger. This is something children will absolutely feel as their strength increases. By practicing punching, kicking, rolling and falling skills they will increase the power of their strikes and the balance of their bodies. This becomes extremely useful if they should ever have to defend themselves against a perpetrator. This aspect of the training alone will increase their confidence to levels they never before experienced. To balance out this newfound power, they also learn when it is appropriate to use it and when it is not appropriate. All material is age-specific to the children in the group.
  



• reprogram muscles with new muscle memory for immediate reactions
  
  As they continue with the repetition of movements, the muscles begin to retain new memory. The importance of this cannot be overemphasized. In order to react in ways that will work, the muscles must have the memory programmed into them. Children's muscles are programmed from birth to accomplish everyday tasks. They learn how to move their bodies, hold the head up, roll over, crawl, stand, walk and run. These are basic human movements for children who are fully able. In order to learn to excell in other types of movement (i.e., dance, baseball, swimming, golf, climbing, etc.) they need extra lessons and extra time to learn. Martial arts training is no different. By incorporating repetition into their lessons, they reprogram muscles to work for optimal personal safety.




• develop coordination and connect mind to body
  
  By working their bodies and having to focus on what they are doing, they are programming their minds to work in conjunction with the body and vice versa, thus facilitating coordination not only within the physical body, but also with the mind, as the nervous system sends the signals back and forth. What their eyes perceive is immediately picked up by the nervous system. The message is sent to the brain, where it is redirected to the body, and the appropriate muscles react. When moving in cadence, the rhythm helps them to coordinate their bodies. This could be a cadence on the instructor's call, or moving to a predetermined rhythm. By repeating this over and over again, coordination is developed.




• increase agility and flexibility
  
  As they continue to move their bodies in predetermined ways, they gain the ability to move with further extension and ease. They can kick higher, lengthen their reach, jump further, roll smoother, maneuver faster, and increase their ability to move in ways they possibly never did prior to the training. As flexibility increases, they are able to do more with their bodies. This, again, increases their self-confidence.




• develop speed, stamina and endurance
  
  With continued repetition, the body begins to naturally move faster. This is similar to a mouse moving through a maze to look for the food. Once they find the correct path that leads to the food the quickest, they begin to move through the maze faster and faster with each subsequent time they move through it. The human body works the same way. The children move smoother, faster, and with more power the more they continue to train. The longer they continue with the movements, the more they build stamina and endurance in the muscles. They are able to move harder and faster for longer periods of time. This means the heart muscle and the lungs are getting stronger.




• develop physical fitness skills and instill healthy habits for a lifetime of fitness
  
  Through learning various exercises, drills, techniques and skills, they are actually practicing physical fitness. As the body continues to move, the endorphins in the brain are created that make people feel good. This is one reason children leave their class feeling very good. Understanding how fitness affects their lives in positive ways will help them to continue to stay with physical fitness, thereby helping to counteract obesity as they move into young adulthood. Healthy habits are best instilled in children early on, as this is when their minds are the most "sponge-like" (they absorb the most information the easiest).




• use their bodies in an effective and efficient way for self-protection & safety
  
  This aspect of the training (learning to be safe) is of great concern for many parents. You can be assured that you child will learn safety and self-protection skills and strategies for staying as safe as possible when you are not there to protect them. Although it is difficult for many caregivers to think about this topic, most people are aware that you cannot be there 100% of the time with your child. Sometimes they are gone from your sight for hours. You want to have peace of mind knowing they are as safe as possible when you are not with them. This training will give your child the skills and strategies needed to understand how to stay as safe as possible, while at the same time learning valuable life success skills.

~Mental Benefits

• develop focus, awareness and self-discipline
  
  If your child has trouble focusing, this training will challenge her or him in fun and positive ways to help in understanding how to focus, and what benefits they achieve from staying focused. One of the most obvious benefits of learning how to focus is that your child's schoolwork/homework will improve as a result of the training. Learning to focus will assist them in completing projects, chores, and tasks they are faced with on a daily basis. In class, focusing will help them learn the material faster and retain it better, and will help tremendously in understanding self-discipline. Without focus, self-discipline is difficult to achieve. Their lessons offer them the opportunity to continuously focus on what they need to be doing at any given moment. In focusing, they will also become more aware of themselves and their surroundings. This is important to learn for their safety in class, and even more important, for their safety on the streets and anytime they are alone. This aspect of the training is also delivered in a manner conducive to the age of the children in the group. Developing focus, awareness and self-discipline will greatly improve their abilities to become leaders.




• s/he will have the ability to stand up for her/himself
  
  Children are often intimidated by others, even other children at school or in playgroups. The physical training also involves using their minds in powerful ways. In fact, they will achieve 90% of results from mental skills. By knowing options in choice of words, they can often counter abusive children with words alone. They can also ask for help when they need it, or stand up to a verbally abusive adult (for example, a person who might belong on the school grounds, but is angry that day and appears to be taking it out on your child). Your child will learn that it is OK to say NO to a person compromising their safety.
  



• bullying behavior will be neutralized
  
  Bully behavior is everywhere! Although this can cause grief for others, kids (and adults) who bully are themselves in alot of emotional pain. Your child will learn age-appropriate strategies for dealing with those who bully. They will learn what causes bullying behavior, and how to counter it, and even more important, how to stop another from continuing to bully (see Bully Breakers below for more information).




• your child will understand self-respect & respect for family & friends
  
  How you treat others is an indicator of how you see yourself. When you treat with respect, you receive respect. Your child will learn how to respect her/himself first. That respect will then transcend into their daily lives. They will learn to differentiate respect for family and friends as opposed to respect for all adults and all authority all the time. We make this important distinction because they need to know that not all adults are safe people. Some adults will want to harm them and will make them feel guilty if they don't obey. The adult may even threaten your child if they don't obey "the adult."
  
  They learn how to differentiate who is safe and who is not safe for them. It is crucial they understand this, as this is how most abductors are able to take children without making a scene.




• your child will be able to stop inappropriate conversations and/or questions from “strangers”
  
  When people whom your child does not know ask her or him questions, or begin a random conversation, this is often a clue that something is amiss. Your child will learn what types of questions are inappropriate, and when they should say absolutely nothing at all to this "stranger." They will learn appropriate responses to various types of interactions with "strangers." This will give them the best options for staying safe and getting help when they need it.




• “freeze-response” fear will be replaced with workable choices for optimal safety
  
  When children are in fear, often they will freeze. This "freezing" stops them from thinking clearly and immobilizes their bodies. When they practice real-life responses, they can break through the fear. Because their minds and bodies now know what they can do and what they are capable of doing, they can respond out of that fear. Even though situations might still be fearful, they can now move their bodies, think quickly, and do something!




• your child will be able to choose when to use passive, aggressive or assertive responses to situations which may compromise their safety
  
  When responding to compromising situations, aggressiveness is not always the best choice. Sometimes it might be the only choice. Which response to choose depends on the situation. No one choice is the best at all times in all situations. Your child will learn when aggressive is the most appropriate, when assertiveness might work best, or when even passiveness will work for her or him (and how to use passiveness to their advantage).

~Emotional Benefits

• your child’s esteem will increase (how they feel about who they are)
  
  As your child's confidence in his or her abilities increases, they begin to feel good about who they are. How they estimate themselves (self-esteem) is how they see who they are. Do they see themselves as a good person... do they see that they have worth to not only themselves, but to those who love them, and to the world...do they know that they are worthy of receiving goodness...do they know they are capable of accomplishing whatever goal they set?
  
  Feeling good about who they are (not their behavior) begins to develop self-love. Behavior is fleeting. It can change on a daily basis. Who they are as individuals and how they feel about themselves will determine what that behavior will become as they move into young adulthood. And, of course, behavior and actions tell the outside world all about them.




• your child’s confidence in their abilities and their choices will rise dramatically as personal power develops
  
  Confidence is personal power and personal power is confidence. This training will develop confidence in one of the most powerful ways possible. It will be lasting confidence that will take your child through the teen years and on into adulthood. This confidence will translate into all aspects of his/her life.S/he will be able to achieve her/his goals as they grow into themselves. Again, leadership skills will develop as self-confidence increases.
  



• your child will learn to release the “victim” mode
  
  Any child who sees her or himself as less than, or gets picked on by others, or feels easily intimidated will go through a powerful transformation out of that mode of thinking and feeling. Feeling sorry for oneself is part of this "victim" way of thinking. Personal power will help release this method of thinking. They will begin to understand that they can choose to be "victors" instead of "victims."




• other’s will begin to sense your child’s inner strength & power, thereby commanding respect
  
  When you walk tall, others take notice. Your actions determine how others see you. As children begin to develop their personal power, they will act in ways that command respect from their peers. They won't need to demand respect from others. Their confidence and inner strength will emanate outward, and this is an energy that others can "read."

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Does your child need to learn focus?

Is self-control an issue with your child?

Is bullying an issue at your child's school?

Almost every child has been bullied at least once. Many children have been bullies themselves at one time or another. Bullying is a very common behavior among school-aged children. And it is destructive to the emotional well-being of every child.

Understanding bully behavior will allow children to make choices for neutralizing this behavior. Bully Breakers involves discussion, scenarios, and role-plays. When children truly understand what bullying means, they realize that most of them have been bullies themselves. This makes it easier for them to understand how much personal power they gain by not bullying others, and by neutralizing the power of those who choose to bully.

Bully Breakers will give them knowledge in:

• understanding what turns a person into a bully



• understanding their own behavior and how it affects those who bully them, and those whom they might bully



• neutralizing the power of a bully



• finding workable solutions to bullying behavior



• raising their self-confidence in their ability to solve their own problems by looking for available choices



• gaining the respect of their peers



• equalizing the “playing field”



• recognizing abusive behavior



• learning basic conflict resolution skills



• assisting friends and/or younger persons who might be confronted by bullies



• ability to learn, work, and play in a non-hostile environment

The Bully Breakers Program is incorporated into all of our Children's Programs.

Register Now

Does Your Child Lack Physical Fitness?

Are you concerned with your child’s ability to do simple physical activity? If you child seems fit, does s/he actually get rigorous physical activity as a part of every day activities?

We all know that many children in our society are deconditioned. There are too many activities available for children that are not physically challenging at all. Providing our children with physical activities will not only increase their physical health, but will also increase the level of mental and emotional stability & balance necessary for healthy and happy children.

Training in martial arts enables your child to be successful with the following:

• agility: this means s/he can move fast and change direction quickly and precisely when and if the need arises



• coordination: with coordination comes the ability to move the body in ways that the mind wants it to move. It organizes the body’s movements into one integrated and harmonious operation. Body movements are smoother and flow easier from one to the other. Results from all other efforts come quickly when the body is coordinated. This means your child’s punch or kick will be much stronger and faster, much sooner



• balance: the essence of all movement is being balanced, utilizing a strong “core.” Your child will be taught to use the “core” muscles in order to maintain balance of the body’s muscles



• stamina: how long can your child maintain an intense exercise. If s/he had to run, for how long could they sustain an intense run?



• endurance: the ability your child has to maintain movement for an extended period of time, as in running a very long distance at a low to moderate speed



• power: this is the amount of force your child can generate with her/his body, when extending arms or legs to strike or takedown another person



• strength: this is the amount of force your child can exert with his/her punches and kicks



• flexibility: this is the extent of your child’s range of motion within each muscle group excellent flexibility will help to keep the body in better balance, and be better able to move with strength and control

Why wouldn’t you want your child to be strong and healthy. Quality of life is enhanced tenfold when an individual’s body is fit and healthy. Your child will also cultivate a love of fitness and athletics in general, for a lifetime of healthy living.

Fitness is like brushing teeth. You must do it every day! You can't just brush them once a month, or on every weekend. They must be brushed and flossed daily to stay healthy. We are born with muscles, but we must work them to stay fit!

Our programs will get your kids into a fitness regimen that will benefit them in the following ways:

• loss of bodyfat with continued training



• increases in cardiorespiratory conditioning



• strength in their muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments



• coordination & balance



• agility & flexibility



• reduced risk of debilitating and life-threatening diseases and sicknesses

We are not born with the ability to stay fit by doing nothing at all. Just like the brushing-our-teeth example above, it is necessary to move our bodies daily and to work on fitness in order to keep our muscles and body healthy, strong and fit.

Through the use of games, drills, skills, and conditioning exercises, children will gain the most benefit for connecting mind to body, learning fitness principles, how to have fun with fitness, and giving their bodies the best chance to stay healthy and strong.

What makes our programs an excellent choice for your child?

We know it works! Our experience in working with children began in 1982. Our own two children went through this training throughout their childhoods. They are strong, confident and emotionally healthy young adults.

Our son is continuing with fitness training and martial arts. He has his own online business. He is helping others make a difference in their own lives with proper fitness training and opportunities for their own growth, both personal and financial.

Our daughter is married and received her MBA while pregnant with her daughter. She chose a rock-solid husband, and together they are doing a wonderful job raising our grand daughter! We know the confidence they received in our programs set them up for success in their lives.

Our experience has taken us through training all ages. We love children, and their well-being and safety is a priority for us. We care about YOUR children too!

Our studies have included psychology in the college setting, as well as hands-on experience in working with children. Please check the about us page for more information.

So what is this program worth to you and your child?

There really is nothing that can replace your child’s safety and well-being. No amount of money can buy that. What money can do is help your child develop skills necessary for staying as safe as possible, recognizing potentially dangerous situations, and know what the available choices are at any given time.

For eight weeks of training, you will be investing $197. Your child will receive training for eight weeks, encompassing 16 classes that can literally change your child's life.

Register Your Child for the Children's Program:

5 thru 10 year olds:
Tuesday & Thursday 4:30 to 5:15 p.m.

If you would like payment options, please contact us here.

All Summer Program participants will receive:

• Full Uniform w/Belt + Second Belt at Graduation

• Free Pair of Gloves

• Free Rank Certificate

• Free Graduation Ceremony w/Refreshments for All

• and Great Photo Ops!

1. Be sure your child has a good pair of clean athletic shoes.



2. Water is available for $.75 a bottle, however, we have a water dispenser with filtered water for FREE. Be sure to send a water container with your child.
   

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

CALL US at 831.458.0900 or EMAIL for more information

FAQ’s

Does my child need previous training (to be successful)?

Every child is trained beginning from the level s/he is at when they start their training. Most children have not had previous experience. Most children who enroll in our programs have no previous experience in self-defense, safety training, fitness or any martial arts training of any kind.

My child learns slowly. Will s/he be able to particippate and keep up?

Our training revolves around teaching each child what they need to learn to get the most out of the program. The longer they train, the more they retain. Even though a child may learn something the first try, it does not mean that they will retain that information. Learning and retaining information are two distinct characteristics unique to each child. The level at which they learn will determine how much information they get.

Repetition is a component of the training that helps children to retain information. Without repetition, the information will leave rather quickly. For a child who learns slowly, there will be plenty of repetition for her/him to retain the information. Children who learn fast will also benefit from the repetition, as again, repetition helps with retention of information.

What should my child wear, and does my child need any equipment or particular items?

Your child will be provided with a FREE uniform, belt and gloves. S/he will need a good pair of clean athletic shoes, with enclosed heels and toes. Part of the training involves kicking at waist level, rolling and falling, and this clothing will adequately protect your child. All other equipment necessary for this program will be provided, or purchased, as part of their enrollmentt. They may bring their own water bottle, as we have filtered water for FREE refills. They may also purchase water here for $.75 a bottle.

Are boys and girls in the same class?

Yes, both girls and boys participate together in workshops, courses and classes. We believe this teaches them respect for each other and gives them more opportunities to advance themselves by working within a diverse group. We do offer specialty courses for Teen Girls exclusively. Contact us if you would like your group of teens to participate in a course just for them.

Will my child be learning any self-defense?

MANOSAMIN (our Black Belt Martial Arts Program), focuses on character development and life success skills, while at the same time providing the physical, verbal and mental components of self-defense that works for a child's body size. Children enrolled in the Summer Program will participate in martial arts training, while also learning self-defense components, especially anti-bully strategies.

If you need more information, CONTACT US