Bullying is definitely not a new phenomenon; many of us have had first hand experience with both the psychological and physical aspects of bullying.  And, of course we want to save our children from the same troubles that we experienced as children…or even as adults.

Bullying is not a natural instinct; it must be learned.  It seems that every day we hear or read something about bullying, and because its prominence has risen in recent years it’s easy to get the feeling that bullying is on the increase.  Is it?  That’s hard to say, but the exposure is both welcome and necessary because bullying will never be eradicated until we understand why people bully and how to counteract it, in a positive manner.

The act of bullying gives the aggressor the feeling of superiority over another.  It is often a sign of their personal low self esteem or even a product of behavior that is displayed in their homes.  Often those that are themselves bullied or feel dominated by others, manifest their experiences in the form of bullying others.  But how can children identify bullying and how should children react when they are being bullied.  These are skills that can and should be taught by martial arts schools to children of all ages.

Martial arts schools provide and excellent foundation for children on both sides of the bullying fence.  For the bully martial arts training will boost their self worth and instill a sense of empathy.  It will guide their actions in a positive direction because a quality martial arts school simply will not permit anything akin to bullying.  For the child that is being bullied it will instill confidence and teach them the skills – both mental and physical – that will help them avoid, or react to situations where they could be bullied.  It might even instill a sense of empathy for the bully allowing children to react in a much different manner.

If you have a child that is being bullied or if you suspect that your child might have become a bully, enrolling them in a quality martial arts school, with a comprehensive curriculum, taught by qualified instructors might be the best thing you could do for your child.

Sifu Lloyd Fridenburg is a 3^rd Degree Black Sash in Shaolin Kung Fu with nearly 20 years of experience.  He is also a freelance writer and author of two martial arts books, “A Martial Arts Primer for Parents”, and “Middle Aged Warriors”.  Both books are available as e-books at www.martialartsyoungandold.com .