New School Year Around The Corner

Phew!

The summer has really gone by quickly, with just a few weeks left before school starts.  I am always sad as summer comes to an end, but I love the excitement and energy that a new school year brings as well.


Busy School Year


I expect this to be a very busy school year, as I will be involved in many different programs.  Aside from teaching my regular classes at Samurai Karate Studio, I will also be teaching at the University of South Carolina.  I am a professor there.  I will be teaching beginner karate, but hopefully, I will be adding a second class, self defense for women, in the Spring.

I love teaching at USC!  College students enroll in this class because they are interested in learning how to defend themselves and gaining an understanding of karate.  These students tend to be in pretty good shape, are flexible and pick up the techniques pretty quickly.

I will be teaching twice a week at USC.

I have also offered my services, to teach basic self defense skills to the women in the USC sororities.  Statistically, this age group is one of the most vulnerable to sexual assault and it is my goal, to help educate as many women as possible so that they can defend themselves if assaulted.


Richland County School District 2




I will be teaching afterschool karate programs at Rice Creek Elementary, Sandlapper Elementary and North Springs Elementary Schools. This will be my 3rd year teaching at these schools and I have a blast working with the younger students.  These classes focus on character skills such as discipline and respect, cover topics like stranger danger and Diabetes awareness as well as cover basic karate techniques.
I am hoping to pick up another afterschool program, across the street from my dojo, at Living Springs Church.

In addition to my karate programs, I work with the local teachers and guidance counselors covering various presentations.  The most popular one (of course) is bullying and how to defeat the bully in a non violent kind of way.  I have taught hundreds of kids over the past 4 years and I have had great luck helping these children understand what bullying is and how they can "fight back"  without resorting to kicking or punching.
Of course, if you know someone who is having a problem with bullies, please contact me and I will work one on one with the child and parent to help them deal with their situation.

Community Service


In addition to all of the above, SKS will continue to serve it's community in many different ways.  I am looking forward to a trash clean up project, a homeless project, Harvest Hope Food Drive, etc.  If you or someone you know, needs some work done, SKS is here to serve you.  Just call us at 803-462-9425.




Lastly, SKS has it's first students testing for black belt in September.  This is a very special event for me, as these are my very own students that I will be promoting to black belt.

So, as you can see, this will be a very busy school year, but I am really looking forward to it.

Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC  29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

How To Talk To Kids About Leiby Kletzky

10 Tips Parents Need to Know



By Dr. Robyn Silverman

A horrific story about a 8 year old boy, Leiby Kletzky, gone missing, murdered and dismembered in Brooklyn this week, has parents wondering how to talk to their children about this tragedy. As a parent myself, all I wanted to do was shut my eyes, close my doors, and hold my children tight. It is every parent’s nightmare—not just because of the loss itself—not just because of the gruesome way this young boy died—but because of the senselessness of the murder. What was the motive? Why this boy? Or perhaps more accurately, could it have just as easily been mine?

As a mother I find it so hard to write this article. My stomach flips and my teeth chatter just like yours. We want to raise happy, healthy, confident children—not ones that hide from the world and fear those within it. At the same time, these kinds of sickening stories make us want to yell; “stay home with me and never venture out alone!” Logically, we know this isn’t possible or realistic. But pure emotion—and fear– can sometimes hijack our sense of reason.

Given that the tragic murder of Leiby Kletzky is now all over the media, your children will likely hear about it in some way. It would be proactive to be prepared for questions and a discussion about everything from the facts to the meaning of it all.

So what do you need to do and know in order to talk to your children about the Kletzky murder?

(1) Be available and shut off the media: The best person to talk to your children about tragedy is you or another responsible, trusted adult. You don’t want to leave this job to the media or to your children’s peers. Media is often inappropriate for your children’s age and peers can be inaccurate and fear inducing.

(2) Keep gruesome facts to a minimum: In the same vein, keep gruesome facts to a minimum. Tell your children what you feel they need to know but don’t go into great detail. If they have specific questions about facts, answer them as best you can—without pontificating– based on the facts you have. Don’t suppose.

(3) Allow your children to talk about their feelings: Some children are emotional. Talking is a great means of expressing how they feel. As parents, we might want to cover our ears until this story fades away from the media but our children need us. Don’t stifle, even though it’s tempting to shield them, as you can make things worse. Discussing their fears and questions with a responsible adult is one of the best ways for children to deal with this tragedy in a healthy way.

(4) Look for different ways children process tragedy: While some children will talk it out with you or another trusted adult, others will get quiet. Still others will seem to have no reaction and then need to talk several hours or several days later. Some may not want to talk at all but instead may prefer to draw, sing, or build something creative. Remain open. Look out for odd behaviors such as nightmares, over-sleeping, acting out, extreme agitation, lack of eating, or over-eating as this way be your child’s way of telling you that they are having trouble coping. In addition, children with preexisting conditions (i.e. depression or other clinical disorders) and those who are closer to the situation in terms of age, location, or actual acquaintance may have a harder time dealing with this type of story so remain alert and available.

(5) Don’t panic: As parents we may want to stop life as we know it, pull in, and not allow our children out of our sight. We must come to terms with this tragedy as best we can so we can help assure our children that they are OK. Living a life in fear is no way to live. Children rely on their parents to stay grounded, calm, and in control. If you need to talk about your own fears, discuss them with another adult NOT your child.

(6) Assure your children: While the story is all over the media, such incidents are indeed rare. Assure your children that this is not a common occurrence. Make sure they understand that the adults in the community—from law enforcement, to religious leaders, to community leaders, teachers, and parents are doing whatever they can to keep the members of the community safe.

(7) Talk about safety and stranger danger when ready: You do not need to lump together a discussion about safety and stranger danger into this discussion of tragedy. This is a time to listen rather than a time to lecture. When appropriate, you can talk to your children about safe houses, safe routes, and safety procedures– what to do and what NOT to do. Programs are often available at martial arts and self-defense schools and many educators and law enforcement will come into your schools and talk to the children about safety as well.

(8) Remind children that these tragedies are NOT their fault: There is nothing this child did to deserve or bring on this gruesome murder. He was just a child. This was senseless and nobody knows the real reason it happened. This was the fault of the perpetrating adult- NOT the child.

(9) Children are resilient: Our children and teens are strong. They can bounce back from tragedy and they will not break if you talk to them about something bad that happened in our world.

(10) Honor life: In the face of such a tragedy, we often look for some way to stay positive. It’s hard. If your child wants to help or do something in honor of the child who was lost to our world, you can discuss a contribution to a meaningful charity in the name of that family or plant a tree in honor of that child.

This isn’t easy for anyone. Be sure to reach out for assistance if you need it. You do not need to do this alone and many other parents around you are likely grappling with the same fears, questions, and concerns. The answer then is not to pull inward and shut the world out, but band together with our neighbors. Doing so can make our communities stronger, safer, and closer-knit—so we all make it a priority to look out for one another.

State Obesity Ranking

CNN reports that heavy kids miss more school. A new study observing more than 1,000 4th, 5th, and 6th graders from the Philadelphia school system found 4 main predictors for missing school including

• RACE
• AGE
• SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
• GENDER

Southerners, poor have highest rates of obesity!

1 Mississippi (34.4%) 

2. Alabama (32.3%)

3. West Virginia (32.2%)

4. Tennessee (31.9%)

5. Louisiana (31.6%)

6. Kentucky (31.5%)

7. Oklahoma (31.4%)

8. South Carolina (30.9%)

9. Arkansas (30.6%)

10. Michigan (30.5%)

11. Missouri (30.3%)

12. Texas (30.1%)

13. Ohio (29.6%)

14. North Carolina (29.4%)

15. Indiana (29.1%)

16. Kansas (29%);

17. (tie) Georgia (28.7%); and South Dakota (28.7%)

19. Pennsylvania (28.5%)

20. Iowa (28.1%)

21. (tie) Delaware (28%); and North Dakota (28%)

23. Illinois (27.7%)

24. Nebraska (27.6%)

25. Wisconsin (27.4%)

26. Maryland (27.1%)

27. Maine (26.5%)

28. Washington (26.4%)

29. Florida (26.1%)

30. (tie) Alaska (25.9%); and Virginia (25.9%)

32. Idaho (25.7%)

33. (tie) New Hampshire (25.6%); and New Mexico (25.6%)

35. (tie) Arizona (25.4%); Oregon (25.4%) and Wyoming (25.4%)

38. Minnesota (25.3%)

39. Nevada (25.0%)

40. California (24.8%)

41. New York (24.7%)

42. Rhode Island (24.3%)

43. New Jersey (24.1%)

44. Montana (23.8%)

45. Vermont (23.5%)

46. Utah (23.4%)

47. Hawaii (23.1%)

48. Massachusetts (22.3%);

49. Connecticut (21.8%)

50. District of Columbia (21.7%)

51. Colorado (19.8%).

Source: Trust for America's Health; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Rankings are based on combining three years of data (2007-2009) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

The CDC predicts 1 out of 3 children, born after the year 2000, will end up getting diabetes in their lifetime.  There is a world wide epidemic going on.  Regular exercise combined with a healthy diet are the major weapons to fight diabetes.

How can we help?

The martial arts offers a great way to lose weight, develop both upper and lower body strength, as well as building a strong core.

You are welcome to participate in one of our classes anytime for FREE, without any obligation!

Sensei Chris Feldt

Samurai Karate Studio

Columbia, SC 29229

803-462-9425

samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

Environment Plays Bigger Role in Autism Than Thought

Study in Twins Finds a Shared Environment Influences the Development of Autism More Than Shared Genes

By Brenda Goodman
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

July 4, 2011 -- One of the largest studies of twins shows environment may play a larger role in the development of autism than previously recognized.

Several small studies conducted over the last three decades have found that it is much more common for identical twins to be diagnosed with autism than it is for fraternal twins.

That’s led to the belief that the lion’s share of the odds of developing autism is written into a person’s DNA, with a much smaller percentage coming from something in the environment.

The new study, which is published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, found that autism was surprisingly common in fraternal twins, despite the fact that they don’t share as many of the same genes as identical twins, suggesting that something in their mutual life circumstances may be playing at least as strong a role as genetics.

“There are lots of neuroscience papers that begin ‘Autism is one of the most heritable conditions in psychiatric genetics and shows over 90% heritability...’ and I don’t think people should start their papers that way anymore,” says Harold Hill Goldsmith, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

You can read the rest of the article HERE.

If you no someone on the Autism spectrum that might benefit from training karate training.  Please contact me at 803-462-9425.  I have worked with several children ranging in age from 8 to 14, including one boy who was non verbal and extremely severe.  Most Autistic children benefit from getting exercise and focusing on core skills that require good self control and hand to eye coordination.

You are welcome to try a class for FREE!

Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

What Samurai Karate Studio Is All About!

Join me and listen to the video below that describes what Samurai Karate Studio is all about!  It was created by my mentor, teacher and friend, Tom Callos, who has more than 40 years of experience practicing and teaching the martial arts:

I have been training with Master Callos for more than 3 years and I am a proud member of two of the most unique associations for martial artist's and school owners out in the world today. They are The 100 and The UBBT.

Please check out the work we are doing!


Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com