Teaching Patience in a World of Instant Results
Children today are surrounded by speed.
Answers are instant. Entertainment is on demand. Rewards come quickly. While this convenience is part of modern life, it can make patience a difficult skill for children to develop.
At Absolute Martial Arts, supporting families across Carshalton, Caterham, Ewell, North Cheam, and Redhill, we see how patience must now be taught intentionally.
Why Patience Is Harder for Today’s Children
Modern environments often reduce waiting.
Children rarely need to:
• Sit with uncertainty
• Work toward long-term goals
• Practise delayed rewards
As a result, frustration can surface quickly when things don’t happen immediately.
Patience Is a Skill, Not a Personality Trait
Some children appear naturally patient — but patience is learned.
Children develop patience when they:
• Practise waiting
• Experience gradual progress
• Learn to tolerate discomfort
• See effort pay off over time
Without practice, impatience becomes the default response.
How Martial Arts Builds Patience Naturally
In our children’s martial arts classes across Surrey, patience is built into the structure.
Children:
• Repeat skills many times
• Progress steadily rather than instantly
• Wait their turn
• Work toward long-term goals
They learn that improvement comes through consistency, not speed.
Why Waiting Builds Emotional Strength
Learning to wait helps children:
• Regulate emotions
• Manage frustration
• Stay focused
• Develop self-control
Patience supports emotional maturity and resilience.
What Parents Often Notice
Parents frequently report their child:
• Becomes less reactive
• Handles waiting better
• Shows greater persistence
• Gives up less easily
These changes often appear gradually — and then spread into everyday life.
Supporting Patience at Home
Parents can support patience by:
• Avoiding rushing to solve problems
• Setting realistic expectations
• Encouraging long-term projects
• Modelling calm waiting
Children learn patience by experiencing it.
Supporting Families Across Surrey
At Absolute Martial Arts in Carshalton, Caterham, Ewell, North Cheam, and Redhill, we help children build patience in a world that rarely encourages it.
Final Thought for Parents
Patience isn’t outdated.
It’s essential.
When children learn to wait, persist, and stay calm through effort, they develop confidence that doesn’t rely on instant results.