fighting kids

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fighting kids
By Jill Marega

hi,

i too had the same problem. I was teaching a summer gymnastics program. When I coached the boys, they were wild. They constantly teamed up on one kid and beat him up. They knocked his tooth out one day. The next
day they gave him a bloody nose. The next day it was bruises. I felt so sorry for this poor boy who was trying to defend himself agianst two or three other boys who would team up on it and beat him up. I had a serious talk with the boys who beat up on the one. Then I took away their privledges at camp for that day. As the weeks went by I noticed that sometimes the one boy actually

provoked the others to gang up on him and beat him up. I think he wanted to prove himself to the others. That's when I sat down with each of them individually and explained to the one boy that he has to leave them alone. I told him not to be bothered by teasing or anything. I told him he was a sweet boy and wow so strong. He doesn't have to use his muscles and fists to prove it. I told him if he wanted to prove that he was really strong then try your hardest in the gym and show me and everyone else how hard you work. Then I talked to the ohter boys and told them that it is not fair for all of them to beat up on one boy. I also made it clear that none of them should fight. I asked them if they would want three other boys to beat up on them for no reason. They sat there quietly. Then I told them that they all look like cowards when they need to gang up to beat up one small kid. I told them that their muscles were way to big and strong to beat up on one small kid. Then I suggested that they use their muscles for gymnastics and not to waste their time and energy on something so ridiculous as beating up a helpless boy. Both sides were not helpless but needed to feel special. I told them things to make them feel special and important. I also told them that they had very handsome faces and I did not want to see them bruised up.
I think parents need to be more involved and discipline their kids at home. If children are well disciplined at home it makes the teachers jobs much easier. Ohterwise they come to school and think they rule the place. I think the important thing is to make each child feel special and that you care. When kids know you care, they will respect you.
Boys are at the age where they will like to fight. All of my cousins grew up into that phase and they grew out of the phase. The important thing is to keep play fight to a minimum if any at all.