Last Updated on September 9, 2013.
By – TSMMA Garden City
As a parent you always worry about your children, I know that I will always protect them when I am there but who will protect your kids when you are not there. My son is athletic, plays many sports but while those activities are great I knew that I wanted him to be confident and be able to defend himself in any situation. So he started training at Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial arts of Garden City with Sensei Domingo and Joshu Karikas.
Trouble began when he started to take the bus to school. We would hear stories about one of the kids, but I didn’t think much of at the time after all he was only third grade and he really didn’t see that boy during the rest of the day. It didn’t seem like much until one day I went to pick him up at the bus stop after he had come home.
He came off the bus all upset and apologizing, he was shaken and kept saying he was sorry. He told me that he had to use his Tiger Schulmann’s training. I calmed him down, and told him to tell me what happened. The boy who had been trouble all along, grabbed him and put him in a head lock. What did you do I asked, I grabbed his arm and made space, ducked under and threw the kid on the ground reversing the dangerous situation and then stepped over him and walked off the bus while the other kids laughed at the bully on the floor.
I smiled and told him never to apologize to anyone for defending himself. Then I told him he did the right thing and how proud I was of him. He not only defended himself but defused a potentially dangerous situation and walked out the hero.
I cant thank Sensei Domingo and Joshu Karikas enough, all the work that they have put in teaching all the kids how to handle themselves in bully situations certainly has paid off. The program and the school is amazing and has helped my son really grow confident.