Through Ninja Kids, I aim to make each child self-assured, capable of making decisions, and stronger in order to face problems in life. Ninpo as an educational tool, provides more than discipline, knowledge, and physical skills. Ninpo comes from the Ninja; Ninpo goes beyond physical and mental skills.
Through following this curriculum, which is specially adapted for home study, I try to provide students (both parents, instructors, and children) with a 1st degree Black Belt level (shodan).
Snow Leopard Ninja Kids Dojo is an educational and motivational tool that can be of great assistance in the process of bringing up boys and girls. It can help them to become happy, healthy, strong, and honest individuals, as well as to bring out their natural potential for leadership through the spirit of Budou.
Ninja Kids training not only helps to shape kids' personalities and characters, but it can also enhance their cognitive, physical, and spiritual skills. I first started teaching Ninja Kids lessons in 1998. Back then, my lessons were mainly focused on teaching self-defense, manners, and discipline (based on Japanese Budou culture) to the kids. Since then, my knowledge and view of this subject have expanded, and I now find that Ninja Kids not only helps to shape personality and character, but it can also enhance their cognitive, physical, and spiritual skills.
Kids are strongly influenced by their parents, environment, teachers, and others. In child psychology, there are two theories: one states that genetics prevail over environment, and the second states that environment prevails over genetics in a kid's behavior and the way he or she is. I believe that on a case-by-case basis, both, genetics and the environment affect them in different ways. From 0 to 6 years of age, a boy or girl will determine their role as a winner, loser, or mediocre person.
Many times, a project's success and quality are judged by the numbers. In the case of our Ninja Kids Dojo project, success is determined by people's responses, my own feelings on how it slowly improves, and most of all, if it helps at least one kid. Quality (in this case) is determined by the means of production; up to a few months ago, lessons were made with a $50 action cam and with my $5 a day living budget. Weekly HS lessons will always be free, but teaching material (when ready) will help the project continue and be improved.
I've been teaching Ninpo for some 35 years and have never had a lesson with more than 29 students. After I started a new chapter in my life, I never had more than 15 students. Most traditional martial arts dojos have no more than eight students, be they in the US, Japan, or Europe. Therefore, I am very happy and truly motivated by the results so far, butt a lot must still be improved.
Budou and Ninpou are enhancements of the military arts that were developed when the Samurai ruled Japan. Budou and Ninpou are not sports; Ninpou comes from ninjutsu (ninja), and Budou comes from bujutsu (samurai). At one point, samurai lords realized that besides being good military strategists, they also needed to be enlightened in arts, literature, poetry, religion, political, and social skills in order to keep power and be respected by society. Ninja too became enlightened in these areas, and they were also enlightened by Nature and by the spirit of Universal Justice. Ninpou as well as Budou go beyond fighting; they are paths or a way to life.
We offer free weekly lessons (videos) for HomeSchoolers and will soon publish the full basic training manual.
Yours in Christ and in Ninpo
rick Sensei, 10th Dan.
http://ninjakidsdojo.com/