Parents do everything in their power to protect their children and ensure they have good, healthy experiences that will set them up for a fulfilling life. The last thing any parent wants to discover is that their child is the victim of a school bully. Both bullying as it occurs in school and online has become a hot topic as the prevalence of this unfortunate phenomenon has been uncovered—the National Center for Education has found that 1 in 5 students from the ages of 5 – 18 have been bullied during the school year. With the risk of bullying looming overhead, many parents have turned towards martial arts training for children to stop bullying before it starts.
The martial arts may seem like an obvious answer for preventing bullying but the ways in which it does this are more complex than simply offering a self-defense technique. While training a child in self-defense so that they have a better chance to protect themselves should a situation escalate to a fight is certainly a great benefit, that martial arts also teach a child the most effective bully-repellent: confidence.
Kids Karate is a powerful way to build confidence in children! Psychological studies have long shown that bullies do not pick their targets at random, but specifically choose those they believe will be easy to victimize. A child suffering from low self-confidence is an easy target, so building self-confidence through martial arts training is one of the most effective ways to protect your child against bullying. As a child works hard and progresses in their martial arts training, they will naturally build confidence in themselves. That confidence will deter those bullies looking for easy victims and help them stand up for themselves if need be.
Martial arts training for children also helps protect them against bullying due to the wealth of social skills it will provide. Bullies often target children that are loners or who have developed awkward social skills; by enrolling your child in a martial arts program, you can provide them with additional support in socialization, helping them avoid becoming the target of a bully. Martial arts training requires teamwork and group practice—perfect opportunities for a child to refine their social skills. A child with well developed social skills is also likely to have more friends and better communicate their needs or disapproval in any situation.
Bullying can make parents feel powerless, as we cannot be with our children at every moment and may worry they might not tell us if something is going wrong. The best protection against bullying parents can provide their children is martial arts training to build their confidence and social skills—two major aspects of what bullies seek to exploit in their targets. Martial arts training for children is an excellent way to lower your child’s risk of becoming a target for bullies and increase their sense of empowerment in such challenging situations.
Premier Martial Arts has developed a Bully Proof program for children 5 to 12 years of age. Please check for one of our convenient locations near you at PremierMartialArts.com
