It’s unfortunate to say, but there is a bullying epidemic in Canada. 64 percent of kids report being bullied at school, with 12 percent being bullied at least once a week. Martial arts can help your child combat bullying and take a stand against those who try to use threats, name calling, intimidation, and physical violence to gain power.
Build Confidence
Bullies often take the path of least resistance. They target victims who seem like easy targets. It’s truly unfortunate, but bullies zero in on kids who seem timid, unsure, and weak. When your child builds confidence through martial arts, they develop an inner strength which is projected to the outside world. Not only will your child feel more confident and secure, but they’ll be less likely to be targeted by bullies.
Reinforce Discipline
Bullying victims should never be blamed for the actions of a bully. However, your child may act in a way or say something which provokes a bully. Through martial arts, your child can learn to hone their discipline and control their emotions. When you don’t allow a bully to rile you up, you are robbing them of the satisfaction of power and control.
Increase Respect
When a child struggles with bullying, their self-esteem and self-worth can become eroded piece by piece. Through martial arts, your child will be reinstilled with a sense of self-respect and restore their self-worth. This is only complemented by the fact that your child enjoys an atmosphere of respect from fellow students and instructors.
Develop Social Skills
Bullies often target children who feel socially isolated and without a support network at school. When your child practices martial arts, they start to develop friendships and bonds with other children or learn social skills that will help them bond with kids at school. As your child develops social skills and builds up their own support network, bullies will move on to easier targets.
Relieve Stress
Victims of bullying often exhibit many physical and psychological manifestations of stress, from upset stomachs to anxiety. Martial arts is a vigorous form of physical exercise that can help relieve stress and help your child feel more at ease.
Learn Self-Defense
In the event that your child is dealing with a physically aggressive bully, martial arts can arm your child with self-defense skills. Though you hope to never need self-defense skills in the real world, your kid will be able to ward off an attack and then get help from an adult to resolve the situation.
At the same time, all of these factors can also apply for bullies themselves. Martial arts can turn a child who was once a schoolyard bully into a calm, disciplined, and focused individual. No matter which side of the bullying spectrum your child falls on, you can help combat the bullying epidemic by signing your child up for martial arts.
