Brazilian Jiu Jitsu might just be the perfect solution to screen-time for kids.

We are addicted to our screens.

This isn’t news. This isn’t anything we don’t already know. But it’s a growing problem, and kids today are bearing the brunt of the issue more than any other demographic.

In fact, the American Family Survey (2025) notes that the largest cultural issue facing families today is the prevalence of “social media, video games or other electronic resources.” And the National Library of Medicine (2025) reports that when adolescents rely on artificial intelligence  to form thoughts and opinions for them, it may “inhibit young people’s cognitive development.” It’s therefore increasingly evident that the omnipresence of screens pose a real danger to the minds of an entire generation.

Desperately, parents need a solution to combat the hypnotizing effects of technology on kids. And in a world that is increasingly reliant on AI technology that gives users any answer they look for on a silver platter with little to no effort… It will take more than just being aware of the problem to fix it. We need something to actively fight against technology’s adverse effects. 

Well, I might be biased, but I believe that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the solution to your kids' screen-time issue; it will keep your child active and away from screens, and teach them valuable life skills like resilience and discipline, that overtly counteract the inherent dangers of AI, social media, and technology.

One parent recently told me, "Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has a bit of a learning curve, and the delayed gratification and mental resilience it fosters in kids is the perfect antidote to screen-time."

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu builds confidence in a way most activities don’t. Not just because kids get tougher (which they definitely do!), but because they learn how to solve problems under pressure. Every class, kids are put in small, manageable challenges where they have to stay calm, think, and try again when something doesn't work. We don’t teach Brazilian Jiu Jitsu like a set of moves to be memorized and regurgitated. We teach it like a puzzle, so that students can understand the mechanics of why things work, and apply that reasoning across many challenges and scenarios. 

It takes time to build this skill. Even for the most athletically gifted students, the “aha” moment of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu won’t happen overnight. It’s one of my favorite things to witness as a coach, actually: the kid that has been the star of every sports team he’s ever been on gets humbled at his first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class by the 8 year old girl with pigtails. Not because he’s weaker, less agile, or slower than her, but because she has learned how to apply timing, leverage, and strategy during something as fast-paced and adrenalizing as combat.

And while a child is learning how to think in a new way, they’ll be faced with a lot of obstacles. Egos might start to swell. Feelings of failure, and thoughts of giving up, might start to rise. Kids might seek the smallest and weakest teammates on the mats just to give themselves a chance at winning. 

But at Underworld, our kids program is built to withstand these big, but ultimately, predictable feelings. We loudly reward and praise resilience, and intentionally craft situations where kids learn how to handle frustration, stay composed, and work their way through problems. You can often find our coaches repeating the phrase “there is always a technical solution to a technical problem.” Because at the end of the day, that’s all it really is. Techniques can always overcome gaps in size, strength, and natural ability.

That’s where real confidence comes from.

And where AI does your thinking for you and clears all barriers out of your way, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu intentionally creates obstacles that kids are forced to overcome.

The result?

Your child will come to pride themselves in their knowledge of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’s myriad of techniques, and become confident, smart, and resilient problem solvers in the process.

If you’re interested in giving Brazilian Jiu Jitsu a try, click here to get started with a free trial class.