Recently, at the VMAs, pop singer Pink used her acceptance speech as a platform to address the insecurities her six-year-old daughter had expressed. Her daughter felt she was ugly because she thought she looked like a boy with long hair. These insecurities, particularly at such a young age, can easily be attributed to the harmful effects of bullying. Pink explained to her child that she too had faced criticism for being too masculine but never let it deter her from becoming successful. She then showed her daughter iconic celebrities who were considered “odd” yet became legendary because they embraced their uniqueness with confidence. This powerful moment helped Pink’s daughter realize how amazing it is to be different and the importance of self-confidence.
Understanding Bullying
Bullying has always been a difficult topic to address. While some people avoid discussing it to keep the peace, ignoring the issue rarely solves it. Bullying causes children to feel inferior and doubt themselves during a time when they should be discovering who they are and embracing what makes them unique. For young children, embracing who they are can be incredibly challenging, especially when others try to bring them down.
Why Do Kids Bully?
The main reason kids bully others is a lack of self-confidence. It’s easy to assume that bullies are confident, but in reality, they prey on those they perceive as weak because of their own insecurities. Most bullies have been victims of bullying themselves and take out their aggression on others to feel a sense of control and superiority. They seek to make their victims feel small and powerless because it temporarily makes them feel empowered.
How to Combat Bullying
Ensuring that your child’s school has a strong anti-bullying awareness campaign is a great first step. However, if bullies don’t perceive your child as a victim, they’ll have nothing to target. This has less to do with how intimidating your child appears and more to do with how they carry themselves. At Synergy Martial Arts, we believe that instilling confidence in children is one of the most effective ways to deter bullies. A strong-minded child cannot be easily broken by someone else’s insecurities. When children have a positive self-image and genuine self-confidence, they become less susceptible to bullying because they truly believe in themselves and feel empowered.
What Makes a Person Confident?
Confidence is essentially the certainty or belief that you can trust someone or something. Self-confidence is believing and trusting in yourself. This kind of confidence doesn’t develop overnight—it’s a conscious decision to be better and do better. Children often look to role models for empowerment before they learn to look inward for validation. It’s important for parents to tell their children how smart, beautiful, and talented they are and to teach them that they can achieve anything they work hard for. Encouraging children to try new things and develop a sense of self-worth is crucial in building their confidence.
In 2012, psychologist Amy Cuddy gave a popular TED Talk focusing on the effectiveness of body language and power posing. She explained that our nonverbal cues can communicate confidence to others and ourselves. When we are proud, we naturally open up our bodies, while lack of confidence causes us to make ourselves smaller. Cuddy’s talk was directed at adults facing interviews or other stressful situations that require extra confidence, but the principles can also apply to children. Simple practices like power posing can help children build confidence from the inside out.
Why Martial Arts at Synergy Martial Arts?
There are many ways a child can gain confidence, but martial arts training at Synergy Martial Arts is one of the most effective. The discipline that comes with martial arts training allows children to gain a sense of control over themselves. It teaches them to focus on their goals and use their abilities to achieve them. Learning to master their bodies gives children the independence they need to build confidence.
During martial arts training, children learn powerful poses and stances, which can have a profound impact on their self-assurance. Every class at Synergy Martial Arts provides techniques that focus on posture and poised behavior. Sparring sessions allow children to perform under pressure, a skill they will use throughout their lives. The confidence learned through martial arts carries over into every aspect of a child’s life.
The Long-Term Benefits of Martial Arts
Children who practice martial arts at Synergy Martial Arts will walk taller, with their heads held high, embodying the confidence they’ve developed. While it’s important to note that confidence can sometimes border on arrogance, our martial arts training also emphasizes humility and sportsmanship. These traits ensure that as your child’s confidence grows, they remain grounded and respectful, preventing them from becoming bullies themselves.
In addition to building confidence, martial arts training equips children with practical self-defence techniques. While violence is never the goal, it’s empowering for children to know they can protect themselves if necessary. With a strong mind and body, your child will be less likely to fall victim to bullying. Bullies will find themselves wasting their time trying to break a child who is confident, powerful, and unshakeable—just the kind of individual we strive to develop at Synergy Martial Arts.