October is Bully Awareness Month: The 3 Ps of Bullying Prevention
Dear Families of Miller's Martial Arts Academy,
I’d like to share a personal story with you that reminds me why Bully Awareness Month is so important. When I was a young boy, I found myself standing outside Christiancy Elementary in Michigan when a boy named Allen, who was in a grade below me, accused me of saying something about his mother. Before I could explain, I received one of the worst beatings of my life.
I still remember thinking, “Wow, that really hurts!”
Despite reaching out to my teacher, the bullying continued. Thankfully, times have changed, and schools today are much more proactive in addressing bullying. They’re working hard to tackle the root causes of teasing, exclusion, and harassment through education and awareness programs.
While schools are doing their part, as martial artists and parents, we can support these efforts with simple, practical steps. At Miller’s Martial Arts Academy, we teach the “3 Ps” of bullying prevention to help students navigate difficult situations. Here’s what we share with both students and parents:
1. Prevent
We teach our students to be aware of potential trouble and to avoid it. This means staying away from places where bullying tends to happen—whether it’s near loud, rough play or areas where known troublemakers hang out. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
2. Prepare
Preparation is key. We encourage parents to have conversations with their children about what to do if they encounter a bully. Practice responses with them—whether it's ignoring the bully or using a strategy like humor to diffuse the situation.
In our academy, we introduce students to the concept of the "Sword of Empathy." This tool helps them respond calmly and confidently if someone is verbally aggressive. For example, if someone insults them, we teach students to reply with something like, “Let me get this straight—you think I am a ‘XXX’? Well, I disagree with you.”
We also train students to:
- Ignore
- Agree strategically
- Make friends
- Use humor
- Stand by authority figures
Our goal is to provide our students with “live training” so they can practice these skills in real situations.
3. Protect
Protection isn’t about fighting back—it’s about using your voice. If a situation escalates, we teach students to get loud, fast. The goal is to draw attention to the situation and prevent harm. If you’d like to see what this looks like in action, we’d be happy to share a quick video demonstration with you.
Martial arts has been an incredible tool for me, and I’m proud to say that, over the years, we’ve helped many students develop the skills to prevent and manage bullying.
Let’s work together to make sure our children feel confident, safe, and empowered.
Sincerely,
Korbett Miller
Miller’s Martial Arts Academy
