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The Best Defense
Against Bullying? EMPOWERMENT!!
By Master Kathryn Kiffmann
Bullying is a conflict between an insecure coward (the bully)
who preys on weaker individuals to feel powerful, and a low
self-esteemed victim who feels helpless to stop it. Parents
of victims usually contact school and/or the bully’s
parents in hopes of ending the harassment. However, this won’t
be enough to permanently help your child, because unless their
self-esteem greatly improves, they have a 90% chance of attracting
future conflicts. It’s no myth that opposites attract
in order to find balance. Hence, weaker individuals often
attract more aggressive personalities. Teaching a bully victim
that they CAN stand up for themselves is the best way to stop
future confrontations. We owe it to our child, to provide
them with the proper tools for a strong and empowered future.
Taekwondo provides a pro-active environment for achieving
self-confidence and success. One of the big reasons folks
start Taekwondo is to learn how to hit or kick back. And yes,
everybody learns that. However, the greatest aspect of Taekwondo
is the huge increase in personal power that comes with mind/body
training. The Taekwondo student becomes strong and confident
through dedicated practice. They feel self-assured inside,
and that attitude manifests outside as well; i.e. the way
they walk, talk and hold themselves (posture). They learn
how to stay calm, focused and react appropriately to any situation.
They learn to keep eye contact, and good ways of diffusing
situations without appearing weak. In short, the student learns
how to stop bullying for themselves.
Another important aspect of Taekwondo, (especially for anyone
who’s ever been victimized), is sparring. Taekwondo
sparring is a re-creation of an attack/threat, but under safe
and controlled conditions. Sparring is important because it
teaches the student how to react under pressure without freezing
in fear. Unresolved fears in Taekwondo students always manifest
during sparring. But, with perseverance, discipline, and supportive
family members, the transformation from fearful victim to
courageous being is guaranteed.
For years, I’ve had bully victims walk into our studio.
Those that stuck with our program transformed into strong,
confident and empowered individuals. A few of them even went
on to become National Taekwondo champions! Truly, no dream
is impossible for those with self-confidence! Taekwondo provides
many qualities necessary to effectively navigate thru life’s
challenging times and personal conflicts. And not just through
childhood, but through an entire life.
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Our Kids Smart Safety program increases overall awareness
in our children. Using body language and their voice to
show confidence, recognizing danger in it's various forms
as well as keeping a safe distance are learned through role
playing. The physical self defense part teaches escapes
from grabs and effective strikes/kicks for kids their size
and age.
Our program works for bullies and their victims alike.
We have had instances where the bully and his prey ended
up in the same class. By training side by side with our
black belt role models bullies quickly realize that their
behaviour was wrong and end up being protectors from other
bullies of their former victims.
LEADERSHIP
Kids and Teens saying NO to drugs and other harmful substances
or actions is of major importance for parents today. By
teaching our students to become leaders and take responsibility
for their actions they will not succumb to peer pressure
and instead become advocates of a healthy lifestyle.
PHYSICAL FITNESS
All aspects of physical fitness such as endurance, agility,
flexibility, strength, reflexes, balance and body awareness
will improve with regular Taekwondo practice. Therefore
having your child train with us is also an excellent way
to improve your child's performance in other sports, such
as football, baseball, etc.
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