Is your kid a victim of bullying? Time for self-defence classes

Bullying can seriously impact a child’s life. The physical, mental and emotional effects being picked on by others children can leave your son or daughter feeling vulnerable, scared and violated is something no parent wants. But the worst part of it is that you won’t be there to protect your child from the school playground bullies, which can take its toll on you too.

If your child has told you they are being bullied, the first step is to make the school aware. However, for your child’s protection, enrolling them in self-defence classes is a great way to not only help them become wise looking after themselves but also help build their confidence and self-esteem back up.

What self-defence classes can a child take?

If your child is worried about their own safety inside and outside of school, attending self-defence classes can arm them with skills that may be able to help them during a time of need. But with so many different styles out there, which classes should you sign your child up to?

• Boxing - the most commercial of all self-defence formats. This is a combat sport which requires great punching skill and ability, as well as stamina and concentration. It’s a good option to help your child learn how to protect themselves if needed, however, it may turn out to be a more provocative skill than proactive defence.
• Muay Thai - although Muay Thai promotes striking opponents, it also teaches students about clinching and grappling which could be a valuable asset to have if a bully tries to attack you. There is a lot of blocking, evasion and disrupting an opponent's rhythm with muay thai, allow your child to calm down any potential situations.
• Judo - a combat sport based on physical, mental and moral disciplines, judo also uses grappling and takedowns as its biggest form of defence. The aim is to throw your opponent to the ground, immobilise them and pin them down.

Taking your child to self-defence classes may seem an aggravator of any potential bullying - you shouldn’t fight fire with fire after all. But there are far more aspects to how these sessions could help your child overcome the fright and fear caused by bullying. Here are a few key areas:

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Boosting self-esteem

Being bullied can take a massive toll on a child’s mental wellbeing as well as their self-esteem. They may begin question why they’re being picked on by others, what’s wrong with them and why they stand out as being a target. To help rebuild their self-esteem, undertaking exercise can make your child feel better about themselves through weight loss, physical fitness or learning a new skill. This is the first step to help beat the bullies - by learning to love yourself once again.Here are some tips to mitigate peer pressure and help boost children's self-esteem.

Becoming confidence

A boost in self-esteem will naturally be followed by your child become more confident in all aspects of life. Once they feel better about themselves physically and mentally through undertaking exercise, they may feel more open to discussing the problems at hand with you, their parent, rather than bottling it all up in a shy and retiring manner. Once they are confident enough to speak up about the bullying they’ve been subject to, they can begin to take the right steps in putting an end to the offensive behaviour.

Interacting with new people through classes and activities

Being bullied can leave your child feeling alone and isolated. Encouraging them to be a part of group sessions or activities will allow them to come out of their shell. It gives them the opportunity to mix with new children away from a school environment who may be unaware of any bullying and won’t immediately judge them. A factor that can help boost their confidence and self-esteem, joining self-defence classes will allow social engagement with fresh faces, so they can forget all about the worries of the bullies.

Uncover all the available classes for kids in your Holmes Place Club.