What can a child do when teased by bullies?

A recent survey showed that 10,000 children stayed home from school once a month because they feared bullies. Bullying is a serious problem that can lead to emotional withdrawal, substance abuse and even suicide.

Parents have a special responsibility to help their children possess skills that can enable them to resolve conflicts peacefully. Children can go a long way in managing conflicts if they are taught personal relationship and problem solving mechanisms.

By and large, a bully is one who has behavioral and emotional disorders. It is typical for a bully to have low self-esteem. In order to gain attention among peers, a bully has to put down someone. It is significant to communicate to children some of the characteristics of a bully so that they can better deal with such personalities.

Children need to know that bullies are those with antisocial problems and therefore should not react to them violently. They need to avoid escalation of conflict by disengaging emotions and anger, and they need to know to contact authorities when and if it is necessary.

On Wednesday, May 30 at 4:30 p.m. Force 5 Training Center will be offering a free workshop for children and their families concerning the issue of bullying. It will be presented by self defense and personal security specialist Bob Anderson. Force 5 Training Center is located at 20601 Highway 202, Ste. 102 in Great Oaks Plaza in Tehachapi.

Professor Bob Anderson, Master Instructor of Force 5 is a nationally renowned self-defense specialist with over five decades of martial arts experience. He has trained agents for the F.B.I, Secret Service, law enforcement and special forces both foreign and domestic. Mr. Anderson is an honor graduate of Executive Security International, the highest rated bodyguard academy in the United States. He has been with E.S.I. since 1984 and works as a bodyguard in the United States, Canada and Europe protecting high-profile clients like Harrison Ford and Placido Domingo. Mr. Anderson is also a member of the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers.