"Family Style" vs. "business" martial arts?

Is there any systems that are taught anymore passed from father / mother to children. I have several children and am willing to pass on my knowledge at any point the want. I'd like to know that there are others who teach their children there ways of martial skills in this manner rather than going to a public dojo. Is this popular anymore? I'd like to talk with other parents who teach their families at home. I've talked with a few who claim there parents taught them martial arts but as yet I've never meet anyone who seemed to really have skill.


I personally, would love to pass on my knowledge to my children in this manner. What is your view on this?

"Family Style" vs. "business" martial arts?
I am a single dad of two lil girls ages three and two, and I have to say my three year old has one hell of a right cross, while my 2 year old gets down with the double front kick hahaha... can't help it as parents we want to teach our kids what we know... that just nature
Reply:I think its great teaching your kids yourself. That way you know they are learning the technics that they need to know. Also you can be more patient with them and if they need extra time to learn certain technics you are right there to help as opposed to them practicing what they think the technic is and then finding out it was all wrong the next time they go to class
Reply:My dad tried to teach my brother and I the martial arts after he returned from Thailand during the Vietnam War.





*My brother blew it off.





*I really enjoyed it.





*I guess I didn't "get" the sparring part, because I had my a$$ handed to me several times (i.e., sparring others, lifeguarding "issues", etc.).





**I saw my dad spar, and he was really quite good.





*I've tried out a few other martial arts since, and have been quite satisfied with it all.





*I spar now (at the dojo, and in tournaments), and I guess I've gotten a little better since the 1970's.





Insofar as teaching one's own kids:





*Please be PATIENT, they're not students, they're your own kids and require a different approach.





**If you screw this part up (i.e., too easy, boring, harsh, etc.), they'll never "take" to the art.





Have a nice weekend, I hope this helps.





(;=]
Reply:So what is stopping you? My daughter is only 4 so we play martial arts games (wrestling ect...) If she wants to join a dojo when she is old enough that would be great. I look at it like swiming. She dosen't have to join the swimming team, but she has to know enough not to drown.
Reply:This is actually a bit of a touchy subject. I have a friend of Chinese decent and his father wanted to teach him the family style, but my friend resisted. For what reason, I do not know, but when he attended classes where I was, he thrived.





What I have observed is that even though schools of Chinese martial arts have a "family feel" to them (that is, the sifu is regarded as a father and treated as such rather than a "master" in the sense of one in charge of another, as is the case in many other systems such as traditional Japanese styles), there is a distinction between a teacher/student role versus a parent/child role. The difficulty lies in distinguishing the two at first, but then going on to take on both roles while keeping them separate!





Personally, I will probably not teach my children when I have them (at least not as the sole teacher), but I will allow my contemporaries to do so and I will practice with them. Honestly, my fear is that I will be too hard on my children and perhaps expect too much of them, or else project my own aspirations onto them. It would be awesome to pass on my knowledge and my passion onto my children, but I wouldn't want to if they were just trying to make me happy with no genuine interest of their own. Should they choose to have me a teacher, I would do my best to wear two hats - one as father, and another separately as sifu. I will, though, teach my nieces and nephews when they are old enough since I do not see them on a daily basis.





Oddly enough, I suppose you could say I practice a family style: Hung Gar! That is, the system of the Hung family, but now we're splitting hairs...!
Reply:I think it's a great thing that you want to pass on your skill and knowledge to your children. I, personally, plan to do so when my son is old enough to understand what he's doing provided he has a desire to do it.





I would say don't push it on your kids as that may cause a bit of tension between you, but it can certainly be a wonderful experience that not all families can have.





My guess would be it is popular outside of the US but most people in the US don't have that feel for the tradition or end up falling away from their art and become those that know the style but never practice it. Because of this, they end up never considering teaching their kids.