It is clear that the various initiatives designed to stop bullying in US schools are not succeeding in the way authorities had hoped. While there are ongoing noble attempts, traditional methods of combating bullying, such as telling the teacher and getting parents involved, don’t always work, though we do recommend taking such action in our definitive guide to end bullying below.
Six-Step Guide to Stop Bullying
While we did say it may not be effective, it is still important to at least try and communicate your feelings with a teacher or parent. There is a chance that it can be resolved by responsible adults, plus it is essential that you don’t face the plague of bullying alone.
This basically means preventing the bully from being alone with you and steering clear of his path. The problem with this is that you are now letting the bully control your life and thus, he wins the day.
We mean that you should try and make friends with other people so you have a support group, plus the bully won’t be as likely to pick on you if there is back up. Remember, bullies are essentially cowards and don’t like anything approaching an even fight.
Bullies prey on people they perceive to be ‘weak’ and these individuals are almost always children with low levels of self-esteem. How often have you seen the confident kid at school getting picked on? Improving your confidence is not an easy task and it won’t happen overnight but it is possible; this is especially the case if you join a karate school where you can learn some self-defense and feel good about yourself.
If a bully starts threatening you, don’t run away and cower. Instead, you need to stand up to him and show that you don’t fear him. As we have mentioned, bullies thrive on fear but if you don’t tremble in his presence, he may think twice about harassing you. If it is possible to calmly walk away, take this option. It takes a bigger person to remain calm and not allow the situation to escalate.
We would like to point out that we are generally against violence and always encourage our students to look for the peaceful way out. However, if a bully physically attacks you, there is no choice but to defend yourself. Remember, this is your right! You have the right to defend yourself, and if this means using physical force, so be it. When you learn karate, you will have the full package: self-esteem, a calm aura, and the ability to disable an assailant. With just a few skilful moves, you can stop the bully in his tracks and ensure he never bothers you again.
How You Can Help
If you are already a child with karate skills and a great level of self-esteem, look around your school and see if there are other children being bullied. Stand up for them, and you can stop bullying and make a friend in the bargain. We would also ask you to recommend martial arts to them, so they can stand on their own two feet.