Bullying is every parents’ nightmare. The last thing you want is your child to come home from school and say that they’ve been picked on. Bullying has far-reaching negative effects that can injure their self-esteem and cause behavioural problems in the future. Fortunately, there are some very effective ways of nipping this in the bud, and martial arts is considered a very effective option.
If you’re concerned about your children being bullied – or even see signs that your own child is becoming a bully, enrolling them in martial arts classes for kids could help with the issue. There are a number of ways that martial arts can help prevent your child from being involved in bullying from any angle, and it’s important to consider the positive impacts that this activity can have on your child’s life.
Building Confidence
Bullies tend to pick on easy targets. It’s usually the shy and quiet kids that get picked on throughout grade school, and building confidence through martial arts classes can prevent them from being targeted.
Taking part in a productive activity in a supportive group environment really helps kids tobuild their confidence. They make new friends while learning a valuable skill together, and they are taught that there are no limitations to their progress.
One martial arts instructor told the Sunday Express that children who enter her class as shy and insecure eventually being to carry themselves with more confidence. It’s this type of physical stature that will stop bullies in their tracks.
Mind Over Matter
In martial arts classes, kids are also shown that their size doesn’t matter. Even the smaller kids in the class are taught that their size isn’t a limitation to them. Succeeding at martial arts is all about determination and working hard, so students are taught that their achievements have little to do with their physical size.
Knowing this also helps to boost a child’s confidence, making them more likely to stand up to a bully at the first sign of intimidation. Sometimes, simply standing their ground is enough to turn a bully away, without ever resorting to any type of physical altercation.
Peaceful Resolutions
If there ever is an instance where your child is bullied, martial arts training can help them find a peaceful solution to the problem. It is not uncommon for a child who is being victimized to lose their cool and engage in a physical fight. No parent wants to receive that dreaded phone call from the school, telling them that their kid has been in a fight, and engaging in martial arts can help stop this from ever happening.
Of course, martial arts classes for kids teach young people physical fighting skills but they are also taught that violence is not the solution to any problems. The confidence they develop in class stops them from feeling the need to prove themselves by engaging in violent behaviour, so they’ll be well equipped to find another way to deal with potential bullying.
On the Other Side of the Coin…
It’s one awful thing to find out that your child is being bullied, but it’s just as horrible to learn that your kid is the one doing the bullying. In the same way that martial arts can help your child deal with and avoid being bullied, the activity also has the power to stop young people from becoming bullies.
An Outlet for Aggression
A study by researchers at Yale University has found that children who have issues with aggression and anger are more likely to become bullies. Since physical activity is considered a great outlet out for aggression and stress, taking part in a martial arts class can help them control these emotions and put them to use in a positive way.
Any negative feelings that your child is dealing with can be worked off in their martial arts classes. They won’t take their aggressive behaviour with them to school or the playground, as they are repurposing it with a productive outcome.
Martial Arts Teaches Respect
When enrolled in a martial arts class for kids, respect is one of the most important aspectsin the training process. Young people are taught to respect the other students, the instructor and themselves.
Martial arts are also a group activity where children learn and grow together. Your kid is likely to be involved in a class that includes all sorts of children from different backgrounds, and bonding with other students will teach them acceptance.
With this lesson instilled in them from a young age, kids will inherently respect other children. They learn to interact with others positively, supporting each other and learning together. This type of training teaches young people to be tolerant of others, and reduces any potential chance that they would engage in bullying behaviour.
Bullying is a major concern for most parents, but martial arts can help from just about any perspective. By enrolling your child in a martial arts class for kids, you can encourage them to develop skills and behaviour that can help to prevent bullying, teach them effective methods for dealing with bullies or stop your children from becoming bullies themselves.
