From the Desk of Keith Hafner

The #1 Bully Deterrent.

As you can imagine, our school deals a LOT with bullies.

In fact, you could say we’re experts on the subject.

Well, this is the biggest bully deterrent out there.

Hint: It’s NOT knowing how to punch or kick really hard.

No, it’s something that’s a bit harder to teach: confidence.

Bullies prey on the weak. They can sense lack-of-confidence like a hawk can spot a wounded animal.

And then they pounce.

But they back away from confidence.

Why? Well, they’re scared themselves. Fear is all they know.

Pride? Self-respect? These are foreign concepts to the bully. Sadly, many of them have poor home lives.

They’re victims themselves.

Confidence is a delicate thing to teach a child though.

However, these things seem to help quite a bit:

– Encouraging their passions.

– Positive, kind words and praise.

– Listening to your child (really listening)

Self-defense skills help a lot, too. When kids feel safe, confidence is a natural side-effect.

If nothing else, parents sleep better knowing their kids can handle any bully who comes their way.