How to build a Bully-Proof Force field

Bullying is a growing problem, both for children and adults. Bullying should never be taken lightly. We must all be taught how to deal effectively with this serious problem, especially for children.

As parents, martial artists, teachers, community members, and caregivers, we have a responsibility to guide the children. But what advice should we give them regarding bullying? And what guidance?

Although there is no way to completely bully-proof your kids, there are skills that we can teach them, such as martial arts training.

1. Social network building

Connect with caring friends.

Being socially connected is a key factor in overall happiness.

2. Make parent-child relationships a top priority

Your children need to know that they can confide in and trust you.

3. As many positive connections as possible

It is important to show children "how" they can make friends.

Bully-Proof Force field members need to have friendship-building social skills.

What is Emotional Intelligence, and how can it help you?

Emotional intelligence is our ability to recognize and manage our emotions and, in doing so, better relationships with others.

This may seem a bit extreme for a young person, but emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and express emotions. Confidence is a key component in dealing with bullying situations. Children who can identify and name their emotions help them to feel more confident.

It can be difficult to recognize a bully and bully behavior. However, it is possible to see the right and wrong sides. We aim to eradicate bullying by teaching all children acceptable behavior.

Recently, I was informed of an incident at school between one of my younger karate students and two of her classmates. I believe bullying is primarily, but not exclusively, caused by jealousy. This case is an example of that. Child A (my karate student and a girl) likes child B (a boy), so they often play together. Child C (a little girl) intervened during lunch and encouraged child B, who was exclusionary, to play with child B. Child A was very angry, and pushed child C aside.

Before you knew what, it was chaos, with several other children joining the fray. Thankfully, no one was hurt. However, I chatted about child A, my student in karate, and her parents. It turned out that child C is quite mean to child A and often excludes her from playtime.

Emotional intelligence includes teaching children how to resolve conflicts and problem-solve. The children in the example above are just seven years old.

Many reports show that bullies prey upon victims and children they can intimidate. A way to combat this is to adopt an assertive mindset. An assertive child can speak up for their rights without being passive or aggressive.

One of my favorite drills in karate classes is the "Backoff, let me alone!" drill. The children create scenarios, then role-play them, ending with a loud, "Backoff, please!" Then they take two steps back, with their hand open and the hand raised.

This stance provides our students a tactical advantage because their hands are up, elbows tucked, and they have a quasi-fighting/protective stance. This will be obvious to anyone who watches that they are trying to de-escalate the situation.

The James Martial Arts Academy children's program helps children deal effectively with bullying and bullies.

Have you ever searched the internet for "Adult martial arts classes near me?" I encourage you to try our three free classes. I promise you will leave the first night with something that could protect you.