LIMPOPO – Self-defence and discipline are what attracted Ronewa Nemugumoni from Duthuni village to karate. Nemugumoni, who has an orange belt, developed a love for martial arts in 2019.
“I have been a karateka for two years now, and I took an interest in this sport because I was bullied and it made me very emotional. I use to cry for small things my peers would say, but I overcame that. Karate keeps me away from wrongdoings and teaches me self-defence and discipline,” said Nemugumoni.
He is thankful for the support of his family, and sensei, Takalani Target Mushavhanamadi of the Takalani Karate Centre in Muledane, he told CV.
“I would like to compete with karatekas worldwide and also have the opportunity to represent my country. Although we are on lockdown, I haven’t stopped training. I practice every day what I have been taught by my sensei and maintain my daily exercise routine,” he said.
He told CV that for him, the idea behind karate is mainly self-defence. “It is a sport that helps us defend ourselves and even though you might not know all the techniques, you can become better through practice and hard work,” he said.
Educate your child about bullying
Over the last decade, children of all ages, across the world, have been exposed not only to traditional tactics of bullying in real life, but also the added layer of cyberbullying with the advent of social media.
The effects of bullying are varied and can harm the victim’s emotional well-being, self-esteem, reputation, and in some cases, their bodies. Teenagers often feel isolated, alone, and scared, as if there’s no way out. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, girls are three times more likely to be cyberbullied than boys. While boys are prone to physical bullying, girls are more inclined to relational bullying. This means that girls are more likely to exclude others from activities, social circles, and spreading rumours to improve their social standing and control others.
Bullying can be subtle and can go on unnoticed for a long time. It’s important to make your children aware of bullying and equip them to deal with it if needed. Things have changed since we were children and our kids are bullied in invisible ways that can leave them despondent, depressed, or suffering from anxiety.
Report bullying
Some kids are not as assertive as others, so it’s challenging to deal with the bullying on their own. These kids should never feel intimidated to tell their teachers that their school mate is bullying them. This might stop the bully in their tracks. The bullying might persist, and your child must also be persistent when reporting.
Some cases will eventually require the intervention of both parents. Parents shouldn’t hesitate to intervene. Your child relies on you to be protected.
Parental intervention should never be the first option. Allow your child to handle the situation on their own first. If this doesn’t help, then you can step in. There isn’t a clear-cut solution to the total eradication of bullying. But parents can do their best to help their kids first identify bullying, and then manage it accordingly. We teach people how to treat us.
So, the sooner your child can identify that they are a bully’s next victim, the sooner they can avert that behaviour.
