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Become Aware, Take Action, Stop Bullying!
Posted: October 14, 2022
October is bully awareness month. That is where we become aware of the results of bullying and learn what we can do about it. Unfortunately, awareness is just the start. It’s action we need to do.
A child that is bullied can have lasting negative effects. One month of awareness is not going to change much.
If you have had a child that was or is bullied, then you know firsthand that damage it can do to the individual and the effects it has on the family.
When we have a student that comes to us because they were or are being bullied, we work very hard in rebuilding the child’s confidence level and improving their self-image. Teaching a child to believe in themselves and not blame themselves for the actions of another is not a one-month lesson.
It takes time to repair the damage a child can suffer by being bullied.
Take this time to become aware of what bullying is, what it can do to your child, and how to help your child become bully proof.
Talk to your child. Keep an eye on their behavior. If you see a drop in their self-esteem, negative self-talk, or loss of cheer, don’t ignore these signs. As parents it is our responsibility to step in and help fix this. The child, in most cases, is incapable of handling being bullied by themselves. But with support they can learn to overcome it.
If you are wondering how martial arts can help your child become bully proof, it’s not about teaching them to beat up the bully, it’s all about teaching them to believe in themselves more, have the confidence to stand up for themselves, and the support system to get through it. In most cases the child that comes to us because of being bullied uses their martial arts not to fight the bully, but to build themselves back up form the inside out. Teaching someone that is being bullied to be the bully is not what martial arts is about. But teaching the child how to believe in themselves and how to have the confidence to do the right thing is.
