The essence of jiu jitsu goes beyond its techniques; it is a recovery tool for children, adolescents, adults and seniors that leads them to a happy ending”

Times have changed and today parents spend more time at work than at home with their children. This distance, in spite of all their love, makes for families drifting apart, rendering parents incapable of  understanding their kids’ behavior. Even more alarming is their failure to notice early any signs of bullying. When helpless child is constantly made fun of or the target of demeaning and inappropriate jokes by its peers, we consider this child to be a victim of bullying.

The term comes from the English ‘bully, which means tyrant and brutal. It recently recently gained greater coverage thanks to media such as television, radio, newspapers and the Internet. People today have a basic idea of ​​the phenomenon but are still faced with its eradication from schools, playgrounds and even the work environment. Children and adults also affected by bullying more than we care to admit and its effects can reach many areas of the victim’s life, resulting in sleep disturbance, irritability, stomach pain and pessimistic thoughts, suicidal tendencies, weight loss or gain and poor self-image.

It was in childhood was that Carlos Liberi, a 6th degree black belt , responsible for GB Campinas – SP, alarmed his father with his aggressive tendencies. Born in Sorocaba, he was 10 when his family moved to Campinas, a neighborhood on the outskirts of St. Bernard, at the time known as the “Boy Knife ” neighborhood. In this phase, Liberi was a frail child, but very brave, who fought daily and often got into trouble just because he wasn’t willing to put up with any insults. “After one of these fights, I came home with a black eye at I couldn’t hide from my father, and he decided to have me practice Jiu Jitsu to see if my behavior would change. It did work in the sense that I continued to fight but stopped getting into trouble.”said the black belt .

“My childhood , adolescence and adulthood , would have been entirely different and much more difficult  if it weren’t for Jiu – Jitsu .”

Gradually he started getting into fewer fights even if sometimes these seemed inevitable, “Some boys would charge other kids this kind of toll, demanding our snacks so they didn’t beat us up. Thanks to Jiu Jitsu I could end this collection… “Liberi said, referring to the playgrounds at school.

Time passed and the thin and “difficult” child was in the past. Things could’ve turned out quite differently for the adult but once again the gentle art has changed one’s life for the better. “Jiu jitsu helped me with my self-esteem. When I was 6 I developed vitiligo – an autoimmune disease that is characterized by gradual loss of skin pigmentation but I was never made fun of by the other boys. I believe this happened because of my strong sense of justice to defend my weaker peers from bullies. I was and still am a fan of the Self Defense Training and extremely connected to the competitive world.”

“The essence of jiu jitsu goes beyond its techniques; it is a recovery tool for children, adolescents, adults and seniors that leads them to a happy ending. My childhood, adolescence and adulthood, would have been entirely different and much more difficult  if it weren’t for Jiu Jitsu.”

Through the story of Carlos Liberi, teacher and regional developer of São Paulo, Brazil GB we are able to give some tips for the parents of our little champions:

– Keep a close eye on your child/ren’s behavior. The first signs that he may be the victim of bullying are :

Reluctance to go to school;

Requests to change schools;

Poor academic performance;

Loss of focus and attention difficulties;

Physical symptoms such as headache or stomach aches and cold sweat , indicating the high level of fear and anguish being suppressed .

– If you notice any of these signs make sure to openly address the child’s concerns, assuring them there is a solution at home, at school and in the community.

 Gracie Barra says NO TO BULLYING ! Oss