Ninja Nik’s favorite pastime? Being a Ninja . His second favorite? Eating . Here are some delicious recipes that Nik came up with himself, and are a great opportunity for kids to join adults in the kitchen! Have the kids pull a stool up to the counter if they need it, and enjoy a Ninja Nutrition Party! Just try not to eat it all as you go…Nik’s stealthy sneaky-food-grabbing Ninja moves keep mom on her toes! Hii-yah! Nik’s Baked Nachos 40 or so baked tortilla chips (this is a great place to go organic!) 1 cup drained black beans 1 lb ground turkey 1 taco seasoning packet ½ cup salsa or taco sauce 2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese ½ cup black olives–sliced 1 diced avocado 2 diced roma tomatoes Shredded lettuce Fat free sour cream Sliced lime, if desired Preheat oven to 350° degrees. Spray cooking spray on a 9×13 pan or deep cookie sheet. Set aside. Brown turkey (kids, let the adults handle this part!), and follow instructions on seasoning packet to season the turkey well. Spread out the tortilla chips in a single layer. Top with turkey, beans, olives, and cheese. Bake just until cheese is melted, approximately 5 minutes. Get all the toppings ready while the nachos are getting cheesy and gooey in the oven. Serve nachos immediately and top with preferred toppings. Turn dinner into a nacho bar to put a festive spin on it! Ninjas, EAT!

“A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a deadline.” –Harvey Mackay As adults, we understand the importance of a goal. We understand that we are in charge of our happiness. Oftentimes, it is more fulfilling to trudge through a difficult journey, than to reach the goal itself. Once the goal is reached, BULLSEYE. Celebrate for a moment, then on to the next goal. Are we teaching our kids this? It is SO important for kids to witness adults setting goals, and reaching them. It teaches hard work, persistence, and the importance of having a positive mindset. So, once kids have a goal set, how are we helping them to reach their goals? I have a lovely woman in my life, who is also a highly motivated entrepreneur. She always has the end goal in sight, but takes realistic steps in achieving those goals. One of the quotes that she has taught me to live by is, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” This is important, especially in teaching kids, because it teaches them to dream big, but succeed slowly. If your only goal in life is to be rich, you’ll never make it. You need a PLAN. Kids need a plan. When a young child says they want to be a doctor, our response is always: “Well, get good grades and stay in school.” To a kid, they’re probably thinking that adults must have some kind of secret code that requires them to say that to all the kids that want to be doctors. This is our inherent response because we know that successful kids grow into successful adults. Kids have to be taught this behavior. Here’s how to help kids reach their goals: Set realistic goals. Develop a step-by-step action plan. Reflect on the journey with them. Allow them to see how far they’ve come. This is the simplest way to help kids see and understand their goals.  It doesn’t matter if it’s at home, in school, sports, or the gym. The results are the same. Make it fun. Construct a poster board with them. Create a celebratory ritual every time a step is accomplished. No matter how you help kids achieve their goals, don’t ever forget: THEY ARE STILL KIDS. It’s an amazing thing to raise a child that has an appreciation for goals, but you may have to check yourself on occasion. If so, hold yourself accountable, take a step back, and remind yourself and your kid to HAVE FUN. Life is short, goals are important, and love and nurturing should never be forgotten, no matter the lesson. *Note: No elephants were harmed in the writing of this blog post.

Child stars. They have amazing talent, and their parents are the sole responsible party for encouraging that talent. But, what happens when they’re pushed too far? I could name names of figure skaters that go crazy on their competition, or the endless cases of kids that grow up to make questionable life choices, but you all know what I mean.  Obviously, this isn’t the case with all kids, or all parents. The reason I bring it up is because oftentimes, these kids are encouraged solely based on their talent. My point is this: encouraging kids based on talent is not a bad thing, but is it ENOUGH? Encouraging kids happens in three core places in their lives. Home, school, and in extra-curricular activities. At home, as a parent, I try to encourage my kids in all facets of life: manners, tying shoes, bike riding skills, etc. At school, encouragement is mostly based on grades and discipline. In sports and extra-curricular activities, kids are often encouraged based on their talent and strengths. Encouraging kids through their talents gives them a broader range of confidence, and makes them feel good about themselves. But, what happens if the star football player was never taught instinctual safety, and is constantly getting hurt? What if a swimmer that has 15 practices a week, starts to feel as if he’s just competing because he’s good at it? What good does it do if the catcher on the baseball team can’t run bases? These kids were encouraged based on their strengths, and other areas of learning were overlooked. The reason that NinjaZone is so successful is because the curriculum is based on more than just defining the talents of strong kids. It’s meant to build kids up, in all areas of themselves, not just physically. Building character is not done overnight, and there’s much more to it than encouraging a runner to keep running. Let’s say you work in banking. You are SO GOOD at counting money. At the root of your job, that’s a highly valued skill, right? However, what if you constantly make customers happy and close on loans consistently, but all your boss ever tells you is that you are the best darn money counter in the West? Pretty frustrating. That’s why it is important to not overlook the small stuff, which in reality, is the big stuff. It’s the stuff that builds confidence and discipline. The stuff that motivates. I’ll leave you with a quote from NZ founder, Casey. It’s a good one, and I think it really pertains to the topic at hand today. The skill is not the success. We use the skills to build confidence, and the confidence is the success. -Casey Wright

For all people, confidence comes in many forms. Internally, there are physical and emotional confidence and self-confidence. On the outside, it could be the belief in having confidence in others. Having a high self-esteem can be the ticket to a lifetime of physical and social health and happiness for your child. At all ages, having confidence in yourself – and also others – will lead to positive outcomes in all areas of life . Here are a few tips to instill confidence in your child: 1. Project Positivity The images you reflect to your child are important. Are they positive or negative? Not only do positive reflections allow children to think positively about themselves, but they also set up the times when you need to instill discipline. If your reflection is less positive than usual, they’ll understand something is unusual and change their behavior. 2. Positive Yet Realistic It’s important to project positive images to instill confidence in your child, yet you need to be authentic and realistic. Children are smart enough to see through fake cheerfulness. They understand their parents are human and some days are better than others. 3. Be Aware Of Your Own Self-Confidence Confident parents tend to produce confident children. And certain traits are passed on from generation to generation through upbringing. Think about the things your parents did to both strengthen and weaken your self-confidence. By understanding your own confidence journey as a child, you’ll be more aware of what you’re passing on. 4. Instilling Confidence Through Play Playing with your child reinforces the idea that they are valuable and they are worthy of your time. Their self-worth strengthens if they see mom and dad enjoy and embrace their interests. Encouraging your child to participate in sports, dance, music or and other activity they choose – in addition to free playtime – will help them develop a variety of skills and watch their self-confidence grow. 5. Linking Physical Activity And Confidence Positive early sporting experiences are important to self-confidence development and understanding of a healthy lifestyle. The ability to learn new things in a social setting while getting exercise helps children physically, mentally and emotionally. Whether it’s setting a personal best or achieving something positive in a team setting, some structured physical activity coupled with playtime will lead to a more confident child. But it’s important to remember to keep the unstructured fun or playtime in the mix as well. Over-programming your child can have an adverse effect. Sources: - Loop Of Confidence: http://loopofconfidence.com/six-reasons-why-confidence-leads-to-success/ - Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/smart-moves/201408/do-sports-and-other-physical-activities-build-self-esteem - Solve A Problem: http://solveaproblem.com/how-to-stop-overprogramming-kids/

“OH! THE PLACES YOU’LL GO You’ll be on your way up! You’ll be seeing great sights! You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights. You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.” I’m sure you have all seen or heard this classic from Dr. Seuss. This has always been one of my favorite kids’ books, because it’s so inspirational, and it’s a reminder to kids that they must believe in themselves. When it comes down to it, they’re the driver of the bus for their life. It’s up to them to make strides. It’s up to them to stand up for themselves, and ultimately, to succeed. One of the most interesting aspects about this book is that it is timeless, and applies to ALL walks of life. This book is given to kids at pre-school graduation. It’s quoted at high school and college graduations. The reason that the book can stick with kids all the way through adulthood is because it teaches them to BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES. We’re not saying one little book has changed the world. What we ARE saying, is that a child’s home, play, and sports realities play a HUGE part in deciding how our kids are gaining self-confidence. In the gym, if a small child sees his or her friend successfully perform a forward roll for the first time, their thoughts lead them to believe that they can do it too. In school, teachers challenge their thoughts. The first time a child gets a math problem correct in front of the entire class, they are set up to know how it feels to get a boost of confidence.  The more kids are given the chance to succeed, the better their self-confidence becomes. We are not wanting to build boastful or conceited humans. Our goal is to raise confident kids, who grow into successful adults. The recipe is simple: challenges + positive reinforcement = confident kids. Now, why are you still reading this? “YOUR MOUNTAIN IS WAITING.  SO… GET ON YOUR WAY!”

Extracurricular activities expand well beyond sports. Extracurricular could be the likes of chess club, art guild, community theatre, 4-H, and tons of other types of opportunities for kids to socialize. There is much more happening beneath the surface of these activities. Of course, when we think of clubs and activities outside of the classroom, sports always falls into this category. Activities that keep our kids active and social are at the foundation of who they are, and the goal is to allow these activities to help them thrive. We teach follow-through and perseverance when we allow kids to choose an activity that interests them , and carry through with their actions. The notion of practicing something over and over, leads to learning the value of delayed gratification. One of the greatest purposes of extracurricular activities is to allow kids to experience the same types of goals and tasks as their required curriculum in school, but in a different setting . Just as getting a bad grade on a paper will cause children to reevaluate their study habits, losing a wrestling match allows for the same reflection. "What could I have done to change my performance, to alter my consequence?” It’s the intermittent feedback from a coach, teacher, or trainer is exactly what children need to to see the end of the next challenge. PERSEVERANCE. DRIVE. GRIT. This is how it happens. When this drive, or ambition is present, grit follows . These kids are learning that disappointment can happen, but they don’t let it get them down. They allow their experiences to help them grow. Through guidance from parents and coaches, they set the bar high for themselves, and succeed. Whether they lose a chess match, forget a line on stage during a play, or turn the wrong way in a dance recital, they don’t let it get them down. These kids are full of strength, courage, independence, perseverance, and determination. Just by accomplishing one key element, they are developing their character and setting the bar higher for not just the next performance, but for the rest of their lives.

“Do not ask your children what they want to be when they grow up. Instead, ask them what problems they would like to solve, if they could.” I want my kids to know that they can do anything. They don’t have to be an employee. They can be their own boss . They can create. They don’t have to be typecast into a role in their lives, just based on something they’re good at. They can do whatever they want! I want my kids to have that spunk. The spark. The GRIT. What are some SIMPLE things we can do to inspire grit in our kids?! There are so many things we can do, but these are incredibly simple things that we can do in our adult world, to tweak the kid experience in their world. Assign household jobs… it encourages pride in what kids do. Allow kids to make mistakes… it means they’re learning. Teach good manners… it encourages them to be respectful to others. Give heartfelt compliments… kids need to know when they’re on the right path, and when they’re doing an awesome job. Allow kids to make decisions… it boosts confidence. Remain positive…it’s contagious. Encourage kids’ interests… find something they’re good at and help them thrive. Promote thinking and problem solving… with every problem solved on their own, their confidence is boosted. Allow kids to spend quality time among adults… seeing the behavior of adults and observing the adult world helps kids to interact with grown-ups in addition to their parents and teachers. Volunteer with your kids… it teaches selflessness. Be friendly to new people you meet and introduce your kids… be the example that you would like your kids to follow. Give your kids the opportunity to get some GRIT!

Failure is the key to success. Seriously. We’ve all lived it. Small business owners have lived it. Parents have lived it. If we didn’t fall off the swings as a kid, we would have never understood the importance of hanging on . Actually, isn’t that the perfect metaphor for life? Just sayin’. Anyway, one of the toughest things to watch as a coach and parent is seeing a kid fail. Parents, especially, have the gut instinct kick in that says: “Go help!” But, as history shows, one of the best ways for kids to understand their achievements is to learn implicitly through failure. Did you “get it” the first time you attempted a somersault? Probably not . You probably failed. Gah! There’s that word again. It sounds so horrible. After all, if you get an “F” on your paper, that’s it. Adios. You’re toast. So why should we encourage kids to fail? It forces PERSISTENCE. It empowers TENACITY . It builds GRIT. It makes kids CONFIDENT. The look on a kid’s face the first time he successfully completes an obstacle course without any errors is PURE BLISS. That’s why we do this. That’s what NinjaZone is about. That is our ultimate objective. We LOVE to see our kids succeed. To be able to succeed, most will fail. This builds an ultimate drive and persistence in kids that is worth its weight in gold. Failure is vital to learning. The kid who really focuses learns more from his failures than his successes. Allowing kids to fail, take in feedback, and dust themselves off is imperative to ultimate success. Don’t let the lack of success bring your kids down. It’s building them up, and making them awesome people. After all, it worked for you, didn’t it?

The importance of “grit,” “determination,” and “work ethic” are all the rage right now in determining school success in children, a concept that is wholeheartedly understood and observed by thousands of coaches all over. It’s a fact that athletes with less natural ability, but high levels of work ethic surpass athletes with lots of natural ability but less grit. But how do we foster this important value in kids ? Intrinsic motivation is key. Naturally children work hard on things they feel intrinsically motivated to achieve. They will work through setbacks and small failures to reach their goal, just like a toddler learning how to walk. No stickers or rewards are needed, a toddler simply wants to walk because they knows they can do it. That’s not to discount the important role of a supportive and enthusiastic caregiver, as that child knows he has support and is succeeding at doing hard work! Instead, the combination of intrinsic motivation and effective coaching helps children realize they can do things that seem improbable at first glance. Why NinjaZone? NinjaZone is perfectly suited to building these qualities in boys and we’ve seen it happen countless times. NinjaZone offers cool skills that boys want to learn. Quite simply, boys naturally want to flip, kick, and do “ninja” moves, especially after sitting for long periods of time at school, and doing paper/pencil tasks at school – something developmentally inappropriate for ideal learning. Achieving these tasks takes self-discipline and focus. Offering developmentally appropriate tasks in developmentally appropriate environments with trained coaches is what is best for kids, which is exactly what NinjaZone does on a daily basis. The NinjaZone program offers skills kids wants to learn, translating to individual improvement and success in many areas. Coaches have a specific plan for students, including skill development, the “NinjaZone pillars”, fun, and competition; making the NinjaZone curriculum intentional, and developmentally appropriate. Intentional programming means increased successes. Through many repetitions, interrupted by small failures, NinjaZone students learn many new skills. With NinjaZone, kids instantly know what success feels like, know when achieve a skill – and how great it feels! Trained coaches break down skills into smaller parts, providing encouragement and positive feedback, even when they haven’t yet mastered the skill. So, even when a student hasn’t mastered a particular skill yet, an expert is saying he’s on the right path to success, celebrating achievements big and small. There are not many places where young children can develop self-confidence and a strong work ethic, but NinjaZone is one of these places! NinjaZone has coaches reinforcing the belief that kids can do hard tasks and sequences, if they put their minds to it. The mastering of these tasks early translates into the ability to take on other hard life skills later in life, leading to real success, intrinsic motivation, and self-confidence creating good students with time management skills, self-control, and leadership skills, who aren’t afraid of hard work, able to defer gratification, and be good team members . These are all skills that will make them great leaders in both school and work, throughout life.

There are only so many sports children can get involved with at age three or four. Soccer? Check . T-ball? Been there, done that. Tumbling? Yawn . What parents really want is something that is FUN and something that will get their kids MOVING. NinjaZone to the rescue. NinjaZone provides a place for kids to move with bodies in cool ways and offers skills they want to learn! The curriculum and the space are both specifically designed for optimal skill development and individual success making NinjaZone not just fun, but rewarding, as well. NinjaZone students learn all sorts of physical skills such as flipping, tumbling, jumping, running, flexibility, and stamina but they also gain a number of valuable social and emotional skills as well. The following skills transcend the gym into everyday school/home/work situations: Listening skills Turn taking and sharing Self-control and learning to focus energy to achieve specific, positive, and useful goals Incremental progress and delayed gratification. Learning a skill little by little making small progress over time until the skill is accomplished. Being part of a team or community; Learning good citizenship Demonstrating pro-social behavior Students enrolled in NinjaZone classes have a forum to do cool things they want to do, while learning the important skills of perseverance, work ethic, and grit. These skills lead to more confidence, greater achievement and higher self-esteem, which then translates into success in school/life. NinjaZone coaches report their students tend to be good in school, good at time management, and leaders in school and later in life, at work. The combination of knowing what they are made of, not being afraid of hard work, deferred gratification being good team members are a recipe for success. So, what are you waiting for ?

Grit, meaning to have courage and resolve, be tenacious, and able to persevere through adversity is not only used to describe the toughest warriors and soldiers but has become the hottest term in child development today. Parents everywhere are trying to figure out how best to ensure their children are filled to the brim with grit. They all want the grittiest kid on the block and are looking to experts everywhere to show them the way. From Scholastic Books to CNN and everywhere in between grit has become the hottest new parenting trend to hit classrooms and sports fields in recent years. The Washington Post even goes so far as to say that grit is the key ingredient to success and happiness in children. But how can parents effectively teach grit? Well, they can’t exactly. Grit is intrinsic and cannot be achieved through traditional methods of a token economy. Working toward a reward, adding stickers to a chart, or getting a prize at the end of the game doesn’t achieve the personal meaning and significance needed to encourage grit. In order to grow strength of character, internal determination, and stamina parents should seek programs and instructors that embrace the following coaching methods. Through these methods children gain confidence, build on successes and failures, thus creating a heartier disposition that can power through difficult situations. 1. Start with a child’s interests . Parents should seek out activities and programs that their child wants to participate in. This seems like a no-brainer, but so often children are pushed into activities that their parents are interested in and not ones that actually interest the child. When a child is naturally interested in pursuing something, their internal motivation to succeed is higher. Piggybacking on these initial feelings of success and motivation can naturally begin to grow into persistence for difficult tasks. 2. Have a plan . In gymnastics, a trained coach, developed curriculum, and prepared environment are precursors to a successful student. Parents should be sure to select a program that is intentional in its curriculum. Having clear end goals and milestones will allow children to see what needs to be done in order to succeed. 3. Communicate goals clearly . It doesn’t simply end at the plan, instructors, teachers, and coaches must be able to clearly articulate what is necessary for success in order for children to succeed. Goals and objectives should be clear up front, with measurement milestones included. Children should be provided with clear instruction, repetitions of small successes, building to bigger goals and achievements. 4. Use rewarding language. Celebrating individual successes in children are important to growing their confidence. Programs should emphasize individual improvement and achieving personal best over the “winning” mentality. Also, instead of handing out generic praise, coaches should be specific, and make it personal to the child. Instead of stating “I really like how you did that!” something more precise, placing the achievement on the child is more beneficial. “You really got your leg up high during that kick. Nice job!” The child gets specific feedback and the focus of the praise less about pleasing someone else and more about achievement. While grit cannot be taught formally, it can be achieved though the right programs and instructors. Parents should talk with their child, attend an introductory class, and talk to other parents, if necessary before selecting a program.

Agility training was once thought to be exclusive to professional athletes, but over the years, those training styles have trickled down.  With the advent of high intensity workouts, CrossFit, etc, the advantages of youth agility training is becoming the forefront of a balanced athlete. In this article, we’ll talk about the top 3 benefits of Youth Agility Training. 1. Injury Prevention Athleticism can be measured in several ways, from strength and flexibility to agility and focus.  At a program like Ninja Zone we aim to provide the most well-rounded athlete as possible.  Agility is often an overlooked quality of today’s youth athletes, but along with flexibility, can be one of the most important factors in injury prevention.  Simply put, agile athletes are less likely to fall and know how to handle their bodies when they do. 2. Improved Multi-Planar Coordination This is basically the nuts and bolts of agility training.  Multi-Planar coordination involves movements that are more than 2 directional.  For example, jogging in a straight line is an example of a single plane exercise while a Ninja Zone Palm Spin is multi-planar.  Improving multi-planar coordination will allow young athletes to have more control over their bodies while either anchored to something like a mat, bar, or beam or if they are in free flight while tumbling or dismounting an apparatus. 3. Cross Sport Benefits No matter if your child aims to be a professional Ninja or a starting wide receiver, agility training is beneficial both inside the Ninja Sport and in other sports like football and baseball.  Most moves that require agility happen in 10 seconds or less , which means there is a tiny window of time when you either have the agility or you don’t.  Catching a football and immediately cutting in to avoid a defender is an example. Final Thoughts Agility is a skill that’s difficult to measure, which is why it is so often overlooked for direct training in youth sports.  It’s much more difficult to measure reaction time and intuition than it is to measure speed and strength, but agility could be the difference between a game winning catch or watching your opponents’ fans rushing the field.