Gracie's Bullyproofing...

[Ronin13]

mcantar, while I see the validity in your point, I was a small kid growing up (I didn't break 100lbs until sophomore year of high school) and grew up with kids picking on me left and right with not much hope of defending myself. I'm not too sure if any of you guys know the motivation behind Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris (everyone remembers Columbine), but they were picked on and harassed constantly. Granted, I'm of more sound judgement and have a good head on my shoulders and was raised better, so I never would have resorted to going on a shooting spree, but... in all fairness, I can see things from their perspective and understand the toll that bullying takes on a young person. Mind you, I have friends that went to school at Columbine during that time and they said Dylan and Eric were harassed and assaulted constantly (one example was they were walking over to Eric's house one day and a car full of students drove by and threw bottles at them). Bottom line is, I will teach my kids not to ever start fights, but if they're getting bullied to go through the proper channels- tell the bully to stop, tell mom and dad, and last resort if all else fails, SUBDUE, but do not strike first. I fully plan to teach my kids some of the combatives I learned in the Army (but I'll leave out what our SF A-Team taught me about how to "neutralize" a threat with minimal effort).

[Lex_Luthor]

We had a kid that got jumped by 3 other kids at school. He defended himself, hurt 2 of 3 pretty badly, and the 3rd got wiser about what he was doing. Unfortunately we lost him in class because his school expelled him and he was upset that kung fu is what got him in trouble. I made sure he knew he did the right thing.

[Inconel710]

While I hope my son never experiences it, we are preparing him to handle himself (he just started 1st grade, BTW). He's in Kenpo and while it's caused some trouble with "play fighting", it's been a good experience for him.

He did get in a bit of trouble once - last year, in Kindergarten, the one annoying kid in class was following him around the play ground bugging the crap out of him with questions. Randy told the kid to leave him alone and walked away, but the kid wouldn't stop. Finally, he had enough and just stopped while putting his arm up in an outward block - kid walked into his fist and busted his lip. Luckily, the teacher had been watching the whole time and understood why it happened. Quick trip to the principal's office and request to use more restraint. Best part was when we made him tell his karate instructor and he said "He walked into my fist with his face." We had a hard time not laughing while telling him that wasn't the best thing to do!

[airborneranger]

I don't know how to embed the vid directly to the post so you will have to hit the link. This is my favorite bully beat down:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O07u7KdRVo0

[jhood001]

This one is pretty good, too:

http://youtu.be/BrdrCOaJYLY

[Ronin13]

This one is pretty good, too:

http://youtu.be/BrdrCOaJYLY

DAYMMM! Fat boy has a future in WWE for sure! That was awesome!

[mcantar18c]

mcantar, while I see the validity in your point, I was a small kid growing up (I didn't break 100lbs until sophomore year of high school) and grew up with kids picking on me left and right with not much hope of defending myself. I'm not too sure if any of you guys know the motivation behind Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris (everyone remembers Columbine), but they were picked on and harassed constantly. Granted, I'm of more sound judgement and have a good head on my shoulders and was raised better, so I never would have resorted to going on a shooting spree, but... in all fairness, I can see things from their perspective and understand the toll that bullying takes on a young person. Mind you, I have friends that went to school at Columbine during that time and they said Dylan and Eric were harassed and assaulted constantly (one example was they were walking over to Eric's house one day and a car full of students drove by and threw bottles at them). Bottom line is, I will teach my kids not to ever start fights, but if they're getting bullied to go through the proper channels- tell the bully to stop, tell mom and dad, and last resort if all else fails, SUBDUE, but do not strike first. I fully plan to teach my kids some of the combatives I learned in the Army (but I'll leave out what our SF A-Team taught me about how to "neutralize" a threat with minimal effort).

I understand where you're coming from. I had long hair until sophomore year of high school and didn't break 130 till the beginning of senior year.
The pattern was when I was put in a new environment with new kids around (new school, starting middle school, starting high school), the "tough" kids would always single me out and pick on me. I always ignored them for as long as it was verbal, which pissed them off and I'll admit that's partly why I kept doing it. They'd always inevitably do something physical, and I'd always put them in their place, and that was the end of the problems till the next new environment.
Case in point.... transferred to a new school, 5th grade. Also the year I met my science teacher, ex Army SF, and decided I wanted to join the military when I grew up cause I thought he was a badass. Alex Barker and Andrew Sullivan were the regular asshats. One cold day on the playground, Alex ran up from behind and tackled me (he was in junior football), pinned me on my stomach, and started slamming my face into the ice with a death grip on my long hair. He was halfway off to my side and I reached up and grabbed the back of his head, pulled him to the ground, mounted and started ground&pounding (I had just quit Tae Kwan Do one level before black belt, didn't know what G&P was till later but I knew how to land hits). We both got suspended, but he never did bother me again. I got a lecture from my libtard dad and that was it.
Then in middle school. Woodworking class. I was sitting next to Alex Olson on the bar stools at the shop table while the teacher was explaining our next project. He had been bugging me all day and was calling me names. I ignored him, so he kicked my shin under the table and said something like "hey idiot I'm talking to you." I punched him in the face and he fell off the stool and bruised his tailbone. Again, both suspended. After explaining to my dad what happened he still lectured me, but he took me to the arcade every day of my suspension. That time I got the pleasure of making fun of Alex Olson for having a broken butt for the rest of the year.
Ok, enough story time. Point is, standing up for yourself isn't that difficult, and it doesn't take a lot. I know lots of kids are very negatively effected emotionally by being picked on, but that again is a problem with parenting IMO. It doesn't have to be that way... its not a definite "you're being picked on, you're gonna have bad self esteem." Parents just need to teach their kids that its never right to start a fight but its never wrong to finish one, instead of the just plain fighting is never right bullshit.