Letting your kids watch you fight. - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

sitnspin · 11-21-2006, 08:52 PM

The thread about religion in MMA reminded me of something else I've been thinking about. What do you guys think about fighters having their children watch what they do?

Two cases come to mind: In the first season of The Contender, it was up to the fighters if they wanted to have their young children see their fights. I remember being really disturbed watching this little girl of about 3 in a frilly dress with a ribbon in her hair screaming and crying while her daddy got his face pounded. On this past season, they seemed to only ever allow kids over a certain age -- ten or twelve, maybe -- to watch their fathers fight.

And then there's the recent Fedor and Coleman fight. Mark's kids were taken out of the arena during his fight, but as soon as it was over he had them brought back in and up to the ring. So one minute they're with their dad and he's fine and excited and they hope he's going to beat Fedor, and the next time they see him, he looks like Rocky at the end of the movie (not far off Loiseau at the end of the Franklin fight). Again, these are little girls. So dad looks like he's been in a car accident, and they're bawling their eyes out, and he brings Fedor over to meet them -- the car that ran into his face.

You could tell Fedor felt AWFUL. He was trying his best to be friendly and not scary, and Coleman was telling them what a nice man he was, and he was using his limited English to tell them he was sorry. But they weren't having it -- it was a total nightmare for them.

Anyway, I guess my issue here is that if you're proud of your sport and what you do, and it's not barbaric, and it deserves mainstream attention, and these fighters are good role models for kids, etc, where would you stand on letting your own children watch you fight? If you wouldn't, why not -- and how does that gel with your defense of the sport as honourable and respectable and something to be proud of?

Nimmy · 11-22-2006, 06:31 AM

yep, i rememeber watching hogan knows best and brooke hogan was crying when her dad was wrestling becasue his face was bloody- even tho she knew it wasnt real.

imagine watching your dad getting his face pummled in.

gazbrook · 11-22-2006, 08:40 AM

I think there are some sports which just aren't suitable for kids to watch.Boxing and MMA are two of them. Once they are teenagers that is ok IMO.

I think that to a certain extent MMA can be barbaric but so is boxing! How else can you explain elbowing ,punching ,kicking,kneeing someone in the face several times until it gets stopped or they are knocked out? Bending someones arm to breaking point until they tap ,the ref stops it or worst case scenario the limb breaks.

I think men are going to fight anyway. Why not channel some of this energy into learning martial arts and do it in a controlled environment. It is still a sport and deserves the same respect as football,boxing etc.

Do Gooders don't like it i know. Violence is part of todays society,like it or not.
I wish every man/woman that wanted to fight someone ,could do it in the cage. It would be much safer than on the street when other people can join in.

bloodfist · 11-25-2006, 12:11 PM

i thought it was funny as hell with fedor standing there looking like a bear
and colman holding his kids as they nearly **** there pants
anyway kids learning respect by studying mma is good i have been teaching my little brother how to defend him self since he was 5 and the first thing i tought him was never start a fight just finesh it
most girls are scared and dont like to see fighting thats a huge problem if your kid is walking down the street and some 3 kids beat the crap out of him and take his money. i say to an extent kids watching mma is good

I heart LNP · 11-25-2006, 03:27 PM

That was one of the most moving moments I have ever seen in MMA when he is telling his kids that Fedor is a nice man.

I wouldnt ever bring kids to watch me fight not even when they are teens. No matter what the situation is watching your dad get hurt would never be fun.

MTKrav911 · 12-01-2006, 10:26 AM

I dont think fighters should let their kids watch until they're adults or old enough to understand what it is they're doing and why.

But one overlooked reason as well IMO would be that a fighter shouldnt have that distraction of family around. I think in a fight, you have to get in touch with that raw mean aggression and you should zone all personal distractions out and focus only on the opponent. If you've got kids, parents, wives, etc. around, it softens you up and can be a huge detrimental distraction.

OneTwoPunch · 11-08-2007, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTKrav911

I dont think fighters should let their kids watch until they're adults or old enough to understand what it is they're doing and why.

But one overlooked reason as well IMO would be that a fighter shouldnt have that distraction of family around. I think in a fight, you have to get in touch with that raw mean aggression and you should zone all personal distractions out and focus only on the opponent. If you've got kids, parents, wives, etc. around, it softens you up and can be a huge detrimental distraction.

I agree. Also comes to mind was Chuck Liddell after the Rampage fight telling his kids that he was OK. I don't know about anyone else but I would be pretty traumatized watching my father be knocked unconsious by a large black man.

sitnspin · 11-08-2007, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneTwoPunch

I agree. Also comes to mind was Chuck Liddell after the Rampage fight telling his kids that he was OK. I don't know about anyone else but I would be pretty traumatized watching my father be knocked unconsious by a large black man.

OneTwoPunch · 11-09-2007, 07:47 AM

Hahaha.

lwbfl · 11-21-2007, 08:50 PM

Lots of our fighters bring their kids to the fights and they don't seem to know it's any different than training. I guess my kids would be OK with it, because they watch us train all the time.

Buckner1986 · 12-13-2007, 08:34 PM

I think Coleman thought it was a good idea to bring his kids into the ring, but I'm guessing if he had to do it again he wouldn't (obviously).

This was my wife's first MMA ppv she watched with me and the wtf look on her face when Coleman said "this is Fedor and he is a really nice man", was absolutely priceless.

LABJJ · 12-13-2007, 08:41 PM

I agree with what was stated by Krav. Kids at a young age do not always understand what is going on and there instinct to not understanding at a young age is to cry for the fear of the unknown. I dont think certain age children should be allowed.

Its kinda the reason why young children are not allowed into rate R movies or into bars because of what can go on and they do not have the cognitive thinking to understand what is going on.

Delta_049 · 02-04-2008, 11:41 AM

I agree. I think for a sport as close to real combat as MMA is it's difficult at any age to watch someone you care about trading punches and shedding blood (whether they win or lose) I think its even worse though for a child that can't understand why his/her parent is in that situation.

I don't think theres anything wrong with teaching kids combat from an early age as long its done responsibly, after all it can build confidence, social skills and keep them fit. But up until a certain age I don't think children can actually comprehend the consequences of violence.

MTKrav911 · 02-04-2008, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta_049

I agree. I think for a sport as close to real combat as MMA is it's difficult at any age to watch someone you care about trading punches and shedding blood (whether they win or lose) I think its even worse though for a child that can't understand why his/her parent is in that situation.

I don't think theres anything wrong with teaching kids combat from an early age as long its done responsibly, after all it can build confidence, social skills and keep them fit. But up until a certain age I don't think children can actually comprehend the consequences of violence.

Totally agree.

I mean I have a 7 year old, that if I so much as stub my toe? She goes

"Are You OK Daddy?"

Imagine more if I was in a freakin cage getting elbowed in the head or slammed on my head.

I'd say, early to middle teens of your kids, assuming they're fairly mature will understand it's competition.

Hell, I'm 34 and my mother still tells me she's worried my kickboxing instructor uses me as a kicking bag.

Imagine a small kid and what they think?

giguer · 02-04-2008, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTKrav911

Totally agree.

I mean I have a 7 year old, that if I so much as stub my toe? She goes

"Are You OK Daddy?"

Imagine more if I was in a freakin cage getting elbowed in the head or slammed on my head.

I'd say, early to middle teens of your kids, assuming they're fairly mature will understand it's competition.

Hell, I'm 34 and my mother still tells me she's worried my kickboxing instructor uses me as a kicking bag.

Imagine a small kid and what they think?

Funny quote about your mom. I come back this year playing hockey in Senior with fight and my mom come wath my first game. On the second period. I bodycheck the big guy from the other team and he doesn't like that, so he check me from behind and drop glove. So i'm a men, I don't have choice to drop too. I fight and that was a good fight. Now it's over 4month about that. And my mother have not come back to see my play hockey and still telling me, I will never see you again with fight and blood and blablabla.

So after I tell her that i'm starting mma. She know that I want to start mma since a long time ago but just don't have the time and blablabla. So I take a seat with my mom, explain what is mma, what you have to do to train and everything. She's like, ok, well is not that bad, look likes Boxing but you can fight on the ground too. So after that, I ask her. Mom, do you want to see a real standup fight. She say yes. So I put Liddell-Wanderlei and tell her, look, that what I want to do.

What do you think she say loll. Michel, I don't know what you think is funny or why you doing that. I was laughing so much loll.

But for the post. I don't have gf or child. But when i will have child. I will put it in gym to train in mma . We will see if he like it or not. But if a fight, I would not like that see me in blood or getting KO or something about that. Until he know that the part of the fight and after you will be ok.

So until he know that. I will let him at the house.

MTKrav911 · 02-04-2008, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giguer

Funny quote about your mom. I come back this year playing hockey in Senior with fight and my mom come wath my first game. On the second period. I bodycheck the big guy from the other team and he doesn't like that, so he check me from behind and drop glove. So i'm a men, I don't have choice to drop too. I fight and that was a good fight. Now it's over 4month about that. And my mother have not come back to see my play hockey and still telling me, I will never see you again with fight and blood and blablabla.

So after I tell her that i'm starting mma. She know that I want to start mma since a long time ago but just don't have the time and blablabla. So I take a seat with my mom, explain what is mma, what you have to do to train and everything. She's like, ok, well is not that bad, look likes Boxing but you can fight on the ground too. So after that, I ask her. Mom, do you want to see a real standup fight. She say yes. So I put Liddell-Wanderlei and tell her, look, that what I want to do.

What do you think she say loll. Michel, I don't know what you think is funny or why you doing that. I was laughing so much loll.

But for the post. I don't have gf or child. But when i will have child. I will put it in gym to train in mma . We will see if he like it or not. But if a fight, I would not like that see me in blood or getting KO or something about that. Until he know that the part of the fight and after you will be ok.

So until he know that. I will let him at the house.

Hahah.

My 13 year old has a black belt in Karate so she understands basics of fighting and MMA.

My 7 year old is learning how hard it is and she's trying her best.

But now I see my 7 year old kicking the wall, kicking my truck, etc, so I am well pleased that it is in her head!

FrankenJim · 02-05-2008, 04:52 AM

Good read intresting i think the bottom line is YOUNG (when i say young im talking like Below 10yrs old ) should'nt be watching as thye cant fully understand, Maybe even older for girls.

I think its a judgment call onlt the father can make he knows what his kids are like and that etc.