-=> Quoting Thomas Kish to Regina Finan <=-
 -> I have found a school that is reccomended by mental health officials in 
y
 -> area.  They also teach with full contact.
 TK> May I ask which school is this?  I live in Southgate, MI not too far
 TK> from you, I have ADHD, and two daughters with it also.
 
 One is Premium Martial Arts on Fort Street in Lincoln Park.  The other is
 Russ Hanke's, which I believe is either Southgate or Wyandotte.  Both in
 the yellow pages.
 -> I know many people may disagree
 -> with this and would like some opinions.  My Jeremy rarely starts a fight,
 -> but I live in a Mini-Detroit area where the bigger kids are really 
icking
 -> on him.  Although he can fight back, he doesn't do it much outside the 
home
 TK> Well on the bright side they say that the ADHD kids who are not the
 TK> bully type have a better prognosis for becoming successful adults.
 
 My son is agressive, but he hardly ever starts a fight, only wants to
 finish it.  Too impulsive to control his anger.
 -> (meaning only with his brothers and sisters).  He is intimidated by their
 -> age and size (I don't really blame him).  We have gangs in the area and
 -> going to the parents DOES NOT work.  I want him to learn the discipline
 -> Karate takes, but I do want him to have confidence to fight back.  I am 
not
 -> avocating violence as I would like him to learn to walk away too and 
irst
 -> most, but I feel in the area I live he must learn to defend himself.  Am 

 -> wrong for such an attitude?
 TK> No not at all.  But as you say, he must also learn the discipline of
 TK> walking away first if possible.  Any Teacher or Instructor he learns
 TK> from should also stress the fact that Karate should only be used for
 TK> defense and not a tool to pick on or beat up others.
 
 He already understands this, but you are right I don't want a teacher that
 will not stress this importance.
 -> This teacher says he can work with any problem
 -> I have at home too.  I know someone who has trained under him for about 
3
 -> years, he is an adult now.  Supposedly he had an extremely bad temper and
 -> attitude.  He seems quite passive now (as passive as someone like that 
an
 -> be).  I do see some of it now and then but it is hardly what I would call 
a
 -> temper.  Would full contact be wrong? I don't like tournament Karate as I
 -> have seen people who can not defend themselves with it.
 TK> Yes this is a problem with noncontact Karate.
 
 Russ Hanke does not teach full contact.  Premium Martial Arts does, but
 not right away.  
 ->
 -> For those who may not know of Jeremy I will give a brief summary.  He is
 -> aggressive (very much) and defiant.  ADHD/ODD.  We are talking probable
 -> deliquent type.  The kind that has no problem with saying NO and walking
 -> away from you if you call him.  He can not handle teasing and has a lot 
f
 -> trouble with his emotions.  Disappointment, anger, sadness all represent
 -> anger or aggressive outcomes.  He is not affectionate, although it will 
come
 -> out once in a while and mainly with his cat.  He can at times control his
 -> behavior, such as taking deep breaths during an aggressive episode and
 -> calming himself down, but this is few and far between.  He is not on 
eds.
 -> He behaves fairly well (most of time) at other peoples houses, until he
 -> feels comfortable (more on the shy side) and then nothing holds him back. 
I
 -> feel I have taken him as far as I can.  Being 9 his defiant behavior is
 -> really becoming a problem.
 TK> That could also be the beginings of puberty kicking in also.  I know
 TK> my oldest, now 9 going on 10 is quite the same way.  She will get an
 TK> attitude storm off to her room and slam the door behind her.
 
 Puberty didn't happen as an infant.  He's been that way all his life.
 Thanks for your opinions.
 Regina
... All I need is a Wave and a board to surf it on.
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