Stand up to Bullies with Confidence!
Hey parents and kids,
We all know that bullies are mean and awful, but we also know that they are often bigger than us. And when you're a kid, it can be intimidating to stand up to someone who's bigger than you because of their size and strength.
Luckily karate is the perfect way to build your confidence so you can stand up to bullies!
Learning self defense will give you confidence to stand up to bullies.
Learning how to defend yourself will give you confidence in two ways:
You'll learn that you can stand up for yourself, even when it's scary and difficult.
You'll have an arsenal of tools that you can use when someone tries to hurt or bully you.
The first move is to try to ignore a bully and walk away, but if you can't walk away...
The first move is to try to ignore a bully and walk away, but if you can't walk away, then you need to stand up to the bully.
A confident person will stand up for themselves, but if you aren't confident then it's going to be really hard for you. In fact, if you aren't confident it's going to be pretty much impossible for you! You need confidence in order for anything else in life not just bullying situations; otherwise you'll end up being picked on all day long by people who don't care about how nice or kind or friendly they are towards other people.
They only care about getting what they want out of life whether that means taking advantage of weaker people physically or emotionally."
Then you should stay calm and be assertive with a calm voice.
Stay calm, don't get angry
Be assertive, don't be passive
Be confident, don't be afraid
Speak calmly and clearly, don't yell
Make eye contact, don't look away - this shows you're confident and not afraid of confrontation (and you're sending a message that there will be consequences if they continue)
Be firm, don't be wishy-washy - this tells the bully that you're serious about what's happening and won't back down from it
Recognize that your feelings are important and you have a right to express them.
It’s time to stop being pushed around by people who don’t respect you. You have a right to express your feelings, and people need to respect that. Your feelings matter and they should be listened to respectfully. If someone can’t treat you fairly, it is best to avoid them in the future.
Practice telling the bully firmly what you want them to do, but don't tell them what they are doing wrong.
Practice telling the bully firmly what you want them to do, but don’t tell them what they are doing wrong.
Don't:
Tell the bully to stop (because this will make them think their behavior is working).
Ask them to leave you alone (because this might encourage them).
Instead:
Tell the bully what you need from him instead, as in “Please get off my neck!” or “I need you to move over there so I can breathe."
Speak calmly and make eye contact as this will show them you are confident.
Speak calmly and make eye contact. This will show them that you are confident. If you are speaking quickly and your voice is shaking, then this will not give off the impression that you are confident. It’s best to speak slowly and clearly with a calm tone of voice, using words that are big enough for you but not too big for the situation at hand.
If someone is coming at you aggressively and using words or gestures which make them feel more powerful than they actually are, then it’s important to do everything in your power not to let them get under your skin by making sure that what comes out of your mouth doesn’t reflect this feeling of being intimidated by their actions or language choices.
If speaking calmly and making eye contact doesn't work, try something out of the ordinary or even some small silliness.
If the bully is still being aggressive, try something out of the ordinary or something silly.
Try saying something that's unexpected and may catch them off-guard: "Sorry but I'm a bit busy right now... I'll have to talk to you later." Or, if they're getting angry at you, ask them what's wrong.
If they continue to be aggressive after that, look down at your feet and say: "I'm sorry but I don't think we're meant to be friends anymore." If this doesn't work then run away as fast as possible!
Get help from a trusted teacher, counselor or administrator if the problem persists.
If you feel like the bullying is too much to handle, don’t try to do it on your own. Ask for help from a trusted teacher, counselor or administrator if the problem persists. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a parent and/or friend as well.
Confidence is key to standing up to bullies.
Confidence is key to standing up to bullies. The more confident you are in yourself, the more likely you are to stand up for yourself. So how can you increase your confidence?
Start off with a positive attitude and proper preparation. Before going into any situation where you might be bullied, think about why it's worth it—and why not letting someone get away with bullying you isn’t just something that anyone can do.
If they see that they can't push your buttons or make fun of something about yourself without repercussions, then there's no point in trying that again and you will be left alone.
