Did you know that 20% of students report being bullied, and a staggering 50% of tweens (9-12 years old) experienced bullying at school? Also, more than 44% of high school students reported "persistently" feeling sad or hopeless.
It's deeply troubling to see what our kids are going through. And these statistics are indicative of a crisis that affects everyone, not just our children. With so much divisiveness and toxicity in the public sphere, each of us needs to find ways to cope with stress, cultivate resilience, build positive connections with others, develop healthy life habits, and find meaning in life.
Recently Spectrum News ran a story on Fight Flow Academy and interviewed some of the young people in our Youth program. It was encouraging to hear that training at the gym had helped them overcome issues related to bullying, and had boosted their sense of self-esteem and empowerment - they now feel more able to deal with trouble they encounter with peers.
We see a lot of kids coming into the program due to conflicts they are facing at school. At Fight Flow, our programs are rooted in our view of community. When we come together in the spirit of friendship and mutual respect, we create a network of support that helps everyone.
Of course, when it comes to bullying prevention, it helps to teach children ways to stay safe, including key focus areas of awareness, communication, and self defense. Awareness is important for personal safety for children and adults alike. Awareness allows for early detection of potential conflict and danger, as well as potential solutions.
With effective communication, we can find ways to avoid or de-escalate conflicts. It is also important that children feel able to communicate with parents and teachers if they are encountering a threatening situation.
Finally, self defense training provides any practitioner with tools to deal with real-world threats. Moreover, self defense skills can provide a stronger sense of self-confidence and empowerment, which is basically kryptonite for bullies.
The epidemic of bullying faced by today's children can be discouraging and overwhelming. Fortunately there are proactive steps we can take to stay safe and flourish.
For our youth, starting a martial arts practice can make a big difference. Here at Fight Flow Academy, we're working together every day on self-improvement - physically and mentally. If your child is facing issues at school, please get in touch with us to discuss ways we can help.