News location:

Canberra Today 14°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Mum takes on bullies

Tiny Taeks Instructor Sharon Wadey... “I want to use my knowledge and expertise in tae kwon do, combined with the emotional side of being a mum.” Photo by Silas Brown
TEACHING young kids tae kwon do combined with an anti-bullying message can create strong self-esteem and confidence from an early age, according to Wanniassa mum Sharon Wadey.

“I have four-year-old twins and I found there wasn’t much organised sport for under-fives,” she says. “As a tae kwon do instructor myself I knew there was a lot I could offer young children, such as focus and how to follow direction, as well as the exercise and self-defence aspect, so I started Tiny Taeks.

“I did a lot of research into bullying, the reasons for it and repercussions of it, and then developed a series of activities designed to help children not even become bullies in the first place.

“I encourage the kids to make sure another child is okay if they are hurt, and we teach them to say ‘stop it, I don’t like it’ as soon as any negative behaviour starts.”

Although tae kwon do, a Korean self-defence martial art, involves a degree of kicking and punching, Sharon says that her class Tiny Taeks, aimed at three to seven-year-olds, is safe for kids and doesn’t teach them to hurt others.

“It’s more about learning to stand up for themselves, feeling safe and confident, and defending themselves if they have to,” she says.
As well as toned-down tae kwon do exercises, the classes also focus on empathy and respect for others, says Sharon.

“I feel that if I can teach empathy in young children, they won’t consider bullying others when they get older and the world will be a friendlier place,” she says.

Sharon says she was inspired after seeing an incident at a birthday party where a big child was intimidating a smaller child on a trampoline.

“It sparked an emotion in me that I was surprised at – the unfairness of bullying, even when it’s not intended to hurt,” she says. “It can create embarrassment, anger or fear.

“When I pictured that happening to my own children, it made me feel sick to the stomach. And like all parents, I want my children to feel safe and be able to stand up for themselves if confronted.”

Sharon says that Tiny Taeks is part of a larger project she’s working on that she’d like to see run in schools called KidsAchieve, along with her partner Brett Canning, a tae kwon do chief instructor.

“The program will teach basic anti-bullying principles to schoolchildren, through the activities I’ve been exploring in Tiny Taeks,” she says.

“I want to offer my knowledge and expertise in tae kwon do, combined with the emotional side of being a mum, into a program that can shape a child’s future in a positive way – physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially.

“I think it’s important to combine self-defence with respect and empathy, so our young students don’t grow up just thinking about kicking and punching.”

Tiny Taeks classes are run at Duffy Primary School and the Active Leisure Centre in Wanniassa. For more information, visit www.unitedtaekwondo.com.au or contact kidsachieve@webs.com

Who can be trusted?

In a world of spin and confusion, there’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in Canberra.

If you trust our work online and want to enforce the power of independent voices, I invite you to make a small contribution.

Every dollar of support is invested back into our journalism to help keep citynews.com.au strong and free.

Become a supporter

Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

Kathryn Vukovljak

Kathryn Vukovljak

Share this

2 Responses to Mum takes on bullies

Kris Hodgson says: 27 July 2011 at 5:34 pm

Very proud of my daughter and her convictions in keeping kids safe. A much needed exercise in todays violent world.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Related Posts

Follow us on Instagram @canberracitynews