Indonesia was elected as the host of the 3rd Islamic Solidarity Games. Currently, Riau slightly move on to speed up the process of venues preparation. This will be the biggest event after previous national sports event (PON XVII).One of the winning election factors of Riau as the host city is its location, which is close to Singapore and Malaysia. It makes Riau as a strategic location for attended countries for the 3rd Islamic Solidarity Games. Riau has strong Islamic culture and tradition.

Preparation for the international sports event that will be attended by 57 Islamic countries from all over the world will be more easy because it will use venues that been used for the national sports event. The quality of venues will be increased to international venues standard.

The delegation of ISSF with the Indonesia Olympic Committee (KOI) already visited venues on July 2011. In the Consolidation Meeting of ISSF ~ Inspection and Coordination Committee of the 3rd Islamic Solidarity Games, ISSF said that they were satisfied with Riau's effort to develop and prepare the venues.

Mohamed Shaled Gadzar, the secretary general of ISSF, said that swimming venues must be adjusted to international standard. But, he's very sure that Riau will be able to adjust the venues soon. 'Riau is appropriated to be the host of ISG. Supported by international infrastructure scale, Riau will be a successful host of ISG, because all of the venues concentrated into one area,' said Gadzar. He's seems to be satisfied and optimistic that the development stages will be finished on schedule.

There will be 18 sports to compete, like Aquatic (swimming, diving, water polo), gymnastic, athletic, football, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, karate, badminton, pencaksilat, archery, shooting, wrestling, basketball, handball, tennis, table tennis, fencing, and cycling. Sepaktakraw will be exhibited in this event. But, still no warm-up venues seen yet.

'The venues are almost ready to use. The venues look good, but we will have to keep in mind that we do not yet know the number of teams and sports that will attend. Standard medical facilities near the athletes village and the venues will be needed,' said Abdul Khaliq Khan from ISSF.

'We will further cooperate to make our dream come true and make Islam stronger. After this we hope that this event will increase solidarity and understanding between all of us. Actually, I am expecting our guests to stay longer and witness the closing ceremony,' said Rusli Zainal, the Governor of Riau in ICCM Meeting. 'We will prepare it better. And we will work on it and discuss it with the people from Jakarta.'


sourced from http://www.inaisgoc2013.or.id

"My worst experience was the fact that I wasn’t accepted by my family and was put out of the house, and this was way before I became a Muslim. My parents found books on Islam in my room and questioned me, and I then already testified that there is only One God who controls everything. My best experience happened at the same moment because I lived at Goodwood Mosque for a year and every night a different member of the community invited me into their homes for supper." ..."despite everything that occurred between my parents and I, we still have great respect for each other and a good understanding. I still visit them from time to time."

Abang Dani'yal tells us about his experience on his journey to truth, the final religion of Islam.

Tell us a bit about yourself, work and family and if you are married?
I am a 27 year old male, I love outdoors, and I am back into gym. I love keeping fit and trying to be active. I am a Structural Draughtsman and I specialize in bridgeworks, I can also do house plans so feel free to enquire about my services that I offer. Family wise, I still have both my parents and I have one sister and a brother in law soon. I am unmarried.

How did you choose your Muslim name?
My name was Dale before. My Muslim name now is Dani’yal. My mom, in actual fact was always going to name me Daniel, but my mother’s cousin chose the name for her son as well. So my name was somehow preserved for the right moment J

What religion were you following before?
I was a New Apostolic Christian, and I was a deacon in the church. The role of a deacon in the New Apostolic Church basically depends on your abilities. The main roles are to do pre-visits to families allocated to your section to prepare them for a family visit by the priest. To also do pre-pastoral care and to find out if everything is ok with the families. You would then report to the priest of your findings. Added abilities would be to be a choir conductor.

What was your perception of Islam and muslims prior to reverting?
I thought that Muslims worshipped the moon because of the crescent sign and the star.

Can you explain what motivated you to revert to Islam?
I was brought up in a well balanced Christian home with strong morals and values. The family I come from are quite staunch in their beliefs and I was the same. Going to Sunday school was an integral part of my childhood and later being confirmed as well. My father is the strength of his home as he is a priest so I grew up following his example as well. I am a technical person and things need to make sense to me on all levels. I basically did research on all religions and found Islam to be pure, free from idolatry and free from paganism on all levels. Also, the fact that all Prophets are perfect in their own respects whereas other Holy books see them as good people then later on committing acts of disbelief and grave sin.

What was your best and worst experience after reverting (if any)?
My worst experience was the fact that I wasn’t accepted by my family and was put out of the house, and this was way before I became a Muslim. My parents found books on Islam in my room and questioned me, and I then already testified that there is only One God who controls everything. My best experience happened at the same moment because I lived at Goodwood Mosque for a year and every night a different member of the community invited me into their homes for supper. I think it was only after 2 or 3 months that I actually declared being a Muslim. So I was a non Muslim living at the Mosque already. despite everything that occurred between my parents and I, we still have great respect for each other and a good understanding. I still visit them from time to time.

There are many misconceptions about Islam; one of them is that Islam is a modern religion belonging to Arabs... What is your advice and perceptions of this which u could advise any non Muslim readers?
Islam is not a modern religion, Islam is not even a religion, it is a way of life, a code of ethics and deep moral values. Islam simply means “To submit”. Islam is to submit to the One True God and worship Him alone. It is the very same submission that started with Prophet Adam, peace be upon him right up until now.

How do you see the Mosque compared to Churches and Temples? Do you find any similarities u found in the role or status of the imam and priests?
The very first thing you notice is that there is no chairs, therefore sitting on the floor is an adaptation but also a symbol of humility if you could put it that way. There are no relics like in churches and synagogues and not portraits of people like in churches and temples.  There are only writings in Arabic of the names of God and a few other Arabic writings that will pertain to Qur’an verses.

How did u get involved in Silat?
I would always hear about Silat at the Mosque but never really considered it because I thought it was new and ineffective, I also thought that is not like conventional arts, or the ones you mainly hear about like MMA, Karate and Kung Fu. I was completely wrong. The moment I researched Silat, I fell in love with it.

Do you have experience in other Martial Arts?
Yes and no I would say. Yes in the sense that I can say I have 2 years Karate, 3 months MMA, 3 months Ninjutsu and a few months Kung Fu. No in the sense that I have forgotten how to execute all the techniques, or to correctly say that my body is in no state to execute the complex moves I used to do, fortunately that is changing!

What is your experience of Silat thus far and how far do you see yourself taking your Silat training to?
My experience of Silat is incomparable to other arts in the sense that I get full satisfaction out of my lesson. If I enquire about certain moves and how to execute them correctly, special attention is paid to me till I get it right. Also, if I enquire about using any new moves, the whole class benefits immediately and not like in other arts where you get told that you will do it in 3 or 4 months’ time. For me, Silat is a way of life, I am in the comfort of the Masjid and I love the atmosphere. I don’t think that I will leave this art seeing that I have had a taste of other styles. This seems to be the style I would pass onto my children one day, God Willing.

Silat Pukulan Melaka is a Malay Islamic art. Do you find this to be true and how does this style practice Islam?
This style is a Malay Islamic art. It is Malay in the sense that it originated in Malaysia and that there are added Islamic principles in terms of respect and humility where the teacher can benefit from student and vice versa.

Silat being practiced in the mosque. What was your reaction when you heard this, and do you find this practical?
My reaction to this is that I am always in a peaceful surrounding and I always feel at ease and calm, I find it practical in the sense that there is enough space and that my prayers are performed as well.

Do you derive any benefit from Silat training which you can apply in your daily life and activities?
The benefit I derive is humility and respect for the next person, I gain self confidence and most importantly I gain discipline in everything I do.

What is your favourite and not so favourite part of Silat training?
All of the training I benefit from, the only “not so favourite” part for me is that I am not supple enough so the suppleness exercises is what I am working through at the moment and it is something that can only improve.

Describe your perfect day.
My perfect day is waking up at 04:30, getting ready for gym to do cardio then returning home to clean myself up and making Salaah (Muslim prayer) and get ready for work. I listen to Qur’an while going to work as this improves the quality of my day. At lunch time I go for afternoon Salaah to the Mosque then return to work and eat. I return home from work then pray midday Salaah and go to gym for weights session then return home, prepare supper and prayer evening Salaah. Eat then study a bit and perform the night Salaah. Then I normally sleep after.

Final words of encouragement for people interested in Islam and Silat training?
To the non Muslims, Silat is a wonderful art to keep fit as well as to learn. The style is very effective although new to most, it has only been introduced to South Africa recently. It teaches discipline, respect, humility, confidence and self worth among besides the techniques. Many students all over the world are non Muslims. You will find us to be friendly, fun and respectful. I can assure you that you will find Silat most enjoyable.

If you are interested in Islam, then the Sheikh would be the best person to speak to where you will also be given free material about Islam, even a free English Qur’an. You will find him to be respectful and humble and always willing to help.

What was your perception of Islam and Muslims prior to reverting?

I've had no perception of Islam or Muslims prior to reverting. I knew that Muslims went to Mosque
on Fridays which I could never understand. I even raised a challenging question to a present day
friend and colleague during a job interview. 4 years later, I find myself in the same situation which I
questioned not too long ago...

Which religion were you following before?

I was a non-practicing Christian - brought up with the N.G Church teachings.


Can u explain what motivated u to revert to Islam?

I was brought up in a very liberal family with good morals but no religious foundation. Yes, we
went to Sunday school after service (Dutch Reformed Church - N.G Kerk) and learned about all the
prophets of the Old Testament. The focus was more on the prophet Jesus - even though I never
knew much about him, the belief was that you only need faith to enter heaven. That was easy - I
never had to ask questions as all I had to do was belief that you can only enter heaven if you accept
Jesus as your saviour.

We were taught that what happened in the Old Testament was not that relevant and the Gospels in
the Bible were fact.

After I had left school in 1996 my faith washed away as adulthood and the pleasures of this life
seemed more appealing to me. Yes, I still went to church on Easter and Christmas holidays and by
doing those religious acts, it brought fulfilment into my life.

Life passed by and in 2008 (After marriage and during my wife's first pregnancy) I was sent to work
at a customer site for four weeks in Dubai (UAE). The first representation of Islam I witnessed was
that the employees of that company would stop what they were doing and then pray next to their
desks in the most humbling of prayers I've ever seen - putting their foreheads onto the ground.
This was a strange concept and provoked me to ask more questions. This is when I learned about
Allah, Muhammad, The revelation of the Quran, The concept of Trinity and the history thereof,
why there are shower taps in the toilet area, Why they play "Arabic chanting songs/poems" over
the loudspeakers in the marketplace of downtown Dubai (which I later learned was the Athaan),
The paying and earning of interest on money, and many more other observances. Another striking
point that made me pay attention was being Vegan at the time - I asked about Honey and Milk and
Meat (which was quoted in the bible and the Quran) – Being Vegan you can’t eat any of those – yet
God mentions the goodness of these in the Quran and versus in the Bible reports on these as food
sources. This made me think that I’m abstaining from something for the wrong reasons, and why
would God promote it in the Quran.

Before my visit to Dubai, even though I had many Muslim colleagues and friends, I never knew a
single thing about Islam. Not even the 9/11 events made me think about other religions until those
four weeks of my time in Dubai.

I started doing introspection and reflected on my own life as a Christian. One night I was sitting on
the beach at the hotel in Dubai and had dialogue with God - not Jesus or the Holy Spirit as taught in
Christianity - by directly with God. All I asked for was for Him to Guide me in this conflict I found in
myself.

So I had lots of my questions answered, but yet I needed to know more. On my last off weekend I
planned a tourist outing for the day and one of the options was to visit a Mosque - The tour cost
10 Dirham (R20) and I thought that should be interesting and not too expensive, I never knew I was
allowed to enter a mosque and thought this would be a perfect opportunity. The money was for
donation and a good cause – so why not.

Upon entering the mosque it was requested that all women on the tour should cover their hair,
entering the mosque there were Quranic verses playing over an electronic device which sounded

very melodic and tranquil. I felt no scepticism about entering this beautiful building. The carpets
were soft and elegant, a smell of musk in the air, very inviting.

The visit to the mosque included a demonstration of the Islamic praying ritual with transliteration
of all the actions during prayer - The Imam also discussed the basis of Islam in comparison to
Christianity - which answered many of my questions.

After the tour, I pulled the Imam aside as he said he had booklets on what's permissible and non-
permissible in Islam. I was interested in such a booklet so I asked him for one. He said he has none
left and went to the back to give me an English Translation of the Holy Quran.

I could not stay much longer as it was time to leave with the tour bus. Next stop was the
marketplace. I purchased some dates from one of the shops and opened my bag to place the dates
inside and when the shopkeeper noticed the Holy Quran in the bag he asked me if he can take it out.

With much respect he took it out and browsed a few pages, closed it, and kissed it with much
respect before placing it back into the bag. I realised at that point that this religion is well respected
by its followers as nothing I've ever seen before.

I had to make a decision as I realised I was exposed to something very powerful - More powerful
than only having Faith. Islam included Faith and Fact to back it up. I never thought of the my
relationship with my maker in this way, and knew for certain I had to take action on it.

I phoned my wife and informed her of what happened and that I am considering becoming a
Muslim. She never thought I was serious about it - probably another phase I was going through.

One thousand questions later, One month after the trip to Dubai and One Week after my daughter’s
birth, I decided to make my Shahada. I thank Allah for guiding me to the straight path, and Allah
knows best.

What was your best and worst experience after reverting (if any)?

Best - experiencing Taqwa (God Consciousness) during the month of Ramadan

Worst - Explaining myself to family, friends and Colleagues - announcing my chosen name was
a great challenge - in hindsight a test from Allah, which after some perseverance made me more
confident to have interfaith dialogue with anyone.

There are many misconceptions about Islam; one of them is that Islam is a modern religion
belonging to Arabs. What is your advice and perceptions of this which u could advise any non-
Muslim readers?

One of the first things I was asked by Family was that why do I want to follow a religion that was
meant for only a certain ethnic group.

This made me think for days - I found many Verses and chapters in the Quran on this very topic - I've
concluded that God Created all humans - we are all equal before him except by our piety.

How do you see the mosque compared to churches and temples? And do you find any
similarities you found in the role or status of the imam and priests?

The first noticeable difference between the two would obviously be the lack of chairs in the mosque.
I found that being no issue as I never liked sitting on those hard benches in church.

The total respect and character a Muslim presents in the Mosque stood out for me. You could walk
into any mosque around the world and feel the same "vibe" which to me symbolises unity - Visiting
different churches, there is definitely a different feeling you get at each one. Each church represents
their same message differently. Each mosque represents the same message the same...

At church there is a hierarchy of priesthood which is well structured and respected by the
community. I found the same level of respect in Muslim community with the difference in example
- If the Imam would be ill the day, then anyone most knowledgeable could step up and deliver the
sermon.

Islam is very flexible on that regard.

How did u choose your Muslim name?

I've embraced Islam in the period of Hajj and close to Eid Al-Adha. I was familiar with the story of
Prophet Abraham and found it to be a very solid name.

All my family and 'friends' still call me by my birth name: Etienne (French name)

I take no offence to those as I can't expect them to accept the change I had to make by the will of
Allah. Changing name is not a prerequisite when embracing Islam, but it definitely opens others eyes
to the fact that this person with a new name is making a very strong statement.

I've had many interesting conversations with people whom thought the Ebrahim on the other side of
the phone line is not whom they expected to see in person - and this is some form of Dawah in my
opinion.

Tell us a bit about yourself, work and family. Are u married?

I love the outdoors, enjoy hiking and mountain biking. I am also a keen carpenter and the family’s
local DIY guy.

My wife is my foundation. I've known her since 1994 (We shared the same classroom at school,
but never dated back then) we remained good friends until we got engaged in 2002. We've been
married since 2005. Our family have grown with two siblings.

Mea - she is 4 years old and Aaron - he is 5 months old. (At the time of writing)


How did u get involved in Silat?

I was sitting at Stegman Rd Mosque one Friday and the Imam announced a form of Martial Arts
presented at the Mosque. This was fascinating to me as in Christianity; Martial arts were always
frowned upon. Possibly because you can't have martial art without accepting the spiritual aspect
thereof.

Most Eastern Martial arts have a Taoism/Buddhism spiritual aspect to it.

What is your experience of Silat thus far? Do you have experience in other martial arts? And
how far do you see yourself taking your Silat training to?

I use to do Tai-Chi, it was slow and calming – but not as 100% fulfilling as Silat is to me. When I
started with Silat, the spiritual foundation I discovered is Islam.

This was great as I was not prepared to take on a martial art without having some spiritual
foundation.

I intend to continue with Silat training for as long as Allah spares me. I would like to see my children
learn the art - if not from the school, at least from myself.

Silat Pukulan Melaka is a Malay Islamic art. Do you find this to be true and how does this style
practice Islam?

Training is opened and closed with Dua and reciting the first chapter of the Holy Quran. We also
make salutations on the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) after class.

There are many teachings in Silat which perfectly synchronises with the teachings of the prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) for example: the pesilat should at all times have good character.

Another example is that the best form of Silat in a confrontational situation is to first talk your way
out of it and NOT just attack the person.

Another example is that the pesilat should always have the kalima-e-tayyabah on the tip of their
tongues when in a confrontational situation - because in the end - it is only by the will of Allah that
things happen and turn out the way they are.

Here is your free report on how to help your child develop their ability to concentrate. 


Distracted. Easily frustrated. Hyperactive.

If any of these words describe your child, you're probably worried that he or she lacks the ability to stay focused.

A rare few children are born with the innate ability to concentrate, but sometimes a healthy attention span is harder to develop. These children are sometimes referred to as "dreamers," "fidgety" or even "a problem child." Society seems quick to label them as having Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD).

There is no dispute that the ability to concentrate is an important life skill. Knowing how to help your child develop that ability is the real key. In this report, we'll share some ideas on how to accomplish this.

Know What Is NormalFirst, it's important to make sure that certain factors are in the right balance.

Is your child's daily diet a nutritious one? Does he get enough sleep? Does she get plenty of exercise? Are there other factors that are making your child sad, mad, worried or excited?

Second, it's important to make sure your expectations, and those of other adults in your life, are reasonable. For most children (and, let's face it, some adults), the ability to stay focused takes practice. It's a learned skill, not a natural reflex.

Waiting for that development to happen naturally can be more frustrating for first-time parents than for those who have experienced it all before.

Compare your child's behavior to others who are about the same age. Talk with other parents. Ask educators or your pediatrician what the average attention span is for your child's age. You may be surprised by the answers.

"A 'normal' attention span should be 3-5 minutes per year of a child's age. For a 3-year-old, that would be nine to 15 minutes; for a 10-year-old, it would be 30-50 minutes," explains Dr. Becca Harrison, resident of psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin and an assistant martial arts instructor.

"It is a little more complicated than that though. Attention is thought to develop in stages," Dr. Harrison adds. "First, kids tend to be overly exclusive, focusing on one thing for a long time to the exclusion of everything else. We see this mainly in babies. Second, they tend to be overly inclusive. Toddlers tend to switch from activity to activity rapidly. Third, kids develop selective attention, the ability to switch focus when they want from being exclusive to inclusive, for instance. Some kids just take longer to reach that third stage, just like some kids walk later than others."

Still, your child may be described -- by you or by others -- like this:

* Fidgety: Can't "sit still" for the expected amount of time that is average for his or her age; constantly gets up to do other things.

* Daydreamer: Routinely seems lost in his or her own world; facial expression goes blank or takes on a "dreamy" look as he or she stares off into space.

* Easily distracted: Regularly goes from one activity to another or can't stay on-topic in a conversation.

* Hyperactive: Routinely and excessively excited; always on the go.

* Impulsive: Constantly acts before thinking; uncontrolled physical and emotional responses or verbal outbursts.

Find a solutionThere are many ways of addressing these issues. From our experience with kids of all ages and discussions with other professionals, we've found the following methods to be effective solutions in helping focus-challenged children.

1. Encourage age-appropriate "brain" exercises. Paint and color. Play board games. Put together a jigsaw puzzle. These are especially effective in helping younger children because parents and older siblings can participate. These types of activities can be completed in a short amount of time, and there is a tangible "reward" at the end (a pretty picture to hang on the refrigerator or a finished puzzle that looks just like the picture on the box). More complicated games and larger puzzles can be introduced as your child gets older.

2. Provide a challenge. Word searches, crossword puzzles and chess let children exercise their minds on their own or with a partner. These also require self-directed concentration as the child works independently or, as is the case in a game like chess, must anticipate upcoming moves.

3. Sign up for lessons. Dance classes. Violin lessons. Cake decorating. Whatever your child's interest, consider signing him or her up for classes. While it may seem like the last thing you want to do is put your child in yet another class where he or she won't pay attention, matching the right class to your child's interest can make a world of difference. He'll want to pay attention, which will help him teach himself how to stay focused.

4. Get into sports. Exercise is the best remedy for all that pent-up energy. Solitary sports like swimming, skiing and track are even better because participants are constantly in motion without the added pressure of letting down the team.

5. Praise more than you criticize. We all work better and want to try harder when the result is positive. Children want, and need, praise. That may seem easier to do when they're adorable and tiny, but it doesn't lose its value when those tiny tots start turning into real people. Tell them when they've done something right and they'll want to do it again.

6. Turn off the TV -- and video games too. Both TV and video games cater to short attention spans. Limiting a child's time with each will ease your battle.

But here's the challenge.

These all seem like good, easily-implemented ideas, but committing to them on a regular basis is difficult. Schedules are hectic and, at this point, you're as easily frustrated as your child.

The good news is that there is one solution that incorporates all the above described methods.

This one solution is Martial arts - here's why?Martial arts strengthen minds and muscles

Among the many benefits of a martial art is the way it strengthens the mind. There is a certain discipline that develops quickly among students, a shift in their ability to pay attention.

Martial arts provides brain exercise

From the very first day in class, students are challenged to think as much as they act. Learning new forms and movements takes concentration. One reason why martial arts is so effective is that it reinforces working memory. Anthony Meyer, MD, medical director of Aurora Psychiatric Hospital in Milwaukee, Wis., and a specialist in attention deficit and child/adolescent issues, compares working memory to that of an executive secretary, taking in all the sensory information, sorting through it and compiling a list of priorities for the "CEO," or frontal lobe of the brain. If the executive secretary isn't working properly, that list of priorities isn't correct or in some cases not delivered.

To enhance working memory, Dr. Meyer says, it's important to use repetition and multi-sensory stimulation -- meaning one sees, then hears and then attempts the task at hand. Martial arts fits that bill. Students are taught by example, explanation and repetition.

Martial arts provides a challenge

Martial arts teaches life skills like discipline, respect and concentration. A student can't move up in rank without showing those characteristics at an age-appropriate level. And as students advance, their level of precision and even the intricacy of their movements become more challenging.

Together these factors help children retrain their brains so that, whether in class or in the real world, they are able to act and react in a responsible manner. "It's exercising their ability to focus," Dr. Harrison says. "They tune out other things around them when they're in martial arts class, and that is transferable at school and at home because they've learned how not to be distracted so easily."

Martial arts provides a great class environment

Martial arts keep kids engaged physically and mentally. They have fun while in class, and take pride in knowing that they are learning something most kids don't know how to do.

Dr. Meyer explains that martial arts "enhance motivation, which is like turbo power that gives you interest to attend to something. The master is able to give one-on-one instruction or work in small groups, which helps motivate. It uses the whole body, a number of sensory modalities, and has to do with focus, centering and getting along with friends and family, as well."

Martial arts provides vigorous exercise

Like swimming, skiing and track, martial arts is a solitary sport. Martial art classes remove the pressure to do well in front of the other kids or to score a winning play. Students concentrate on their own movements rather than what everyone else is doing. They never have to worry about disappointing their team mates. Instruction is focused on the individual and his or her journey toward attaining the next belt rank. And every class is wall-to-wall movement. There's nothing like an hours worth of running, jumping and blocking to get rid of any pent-up energy.

Martial arts instructors are trained to praise more than criticize

In a sport like the martial arts, the emphasis is on learning the basic steps and techniques. Good martial art instructors use a "praise, correct, praise" approach in which the student is praised for what he or she did right, instructed on how to improve what was not quite right, and then praised for making the correction. Children also get rewards like stickers, trophies and belts.

"Martial arts require a certain amount of focus to participate. The process of them learning their forms and coordinating the movement of their hands and feet is helpful, and the kids get tangible rewards like stickers, trophies and their next belt," says Dr. Harrison.

Martial arts pulls kids away from the TV

When kids are in class, they're not in front of the television. They're moving, active and engaged.

"I have heard parents say that they have seen a change," says Dr. Harrison. "They see a difference in their children's behavior, and the teachers tell them that their children pay better attention in class."

This report was written by Maureen Waslicki, an independent writer (www.workingwriters.org/waslicki) and regular contributor to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Metroparent Magazine (www.milwaukeemoms.com). 
She and her family have been active martial arts students since 2005.