Throughout March 2012, we’ll be working on the concept of “courage.”

All our discussions and activities will aim to help our students understand that courage is not the absence of fear, as many children might think. Rather, courage is how we cope with fears in the face of challenge.

Powerful Words is the name of our character development curriculum here at Urban Martial Arts. It’s designed by one of the nation’s leading childhood development experts, Dr. Robyn Silverman. Every month, we’ll focus on a different Powerful Word, or concept around character development.

In this video, Dr. Robyn answers a question from a mother whose son is always very nervous whenever he starts something new. She’d like to know what suggestions Dr. Robyn has for her:

To give you more ideas for conversation topics, here’s a run-down of what we’ll be discussing over the next 4 weeks:

Week 1 Courage defined: What does courage mean? What are people scared of?
Week 2 Taking healthy risks: How can I try new things & meet new people?
Week 3 Courage & Values: How can I stand up for what I think is right and fair?
Week 4 Keeping Control: How can I calm myself down and make good choices?

We’d love to hear how your conversations go with your child so do share with us!