Mchemtob posted; “teaching a child to fight doeas not breed confidence and fighting doesnt necessary mean that they will overcome issues with a bully. kids that fight grow up into adults that fight.”
I can tell you from personal experience this is totally wrong.
I have had to live in fear of others who were bigger then me or trained in some kind of fighting skills or who simply had plenty of friends who would help them bully others.
I have passed up lucrative jobs because they would have been in situations where physical controntaton might be likely either from customers (knocking on doors to seell something for example) or from cowrokers (like in warehouse or construction where everyone spends their free time, thinking about how ‘tough’ they are and sizing everyone else up.
If I were a Blackbelt in some martial arts I woudl not have had that fear and I would have been able to take some of those jobs which in turn would have led to a much better life then I have now.
I was also bullied in school and I am no skileld fighter but I have learned a couple of moves since then and if I knew as a kid what I know now I could have beat those bullies and again my whole life would be very different and far better.
Anyone who thinks fighting skills have nothing to do with self confidence or can’t help stop bullying has no clue, as to what they are talking about.