The goal of the three-part evening was to educate and train children and parents in the intellectual or developmental disabilities community on current anti-bullying laws and the discipline of a fitness routine
SPRINGFIELD ? Jonathan Marin called out "ke ahp," Korean for "yell," as he leaped and dodged a foam blocker-bat a martial arts instructor swung at his ankles. A circle of children around the boy cheered.
There was a time when Jonathan could scarcely look another person in the eye, let alone participate in an activity, such as this one in Union County, with a group of rambunctious peers.
The 11-year-old boy has autism, but that?s not what closed him off, his mother said. It was the bullying he experienced at school, directed at him for his developmental disability, that was the real cause of his introversion.
"During fifth grade he became more aware of what his deficits were, but also the kids in his class became more aware and they targeted it," said Victoria Marin of Norwood in Bergen County.
There were jabs during basketball practice, snide remarks about misspelled words and other kinds of cruel chiding that left the young boy sitting alone in the cafeteria every day.
Last week, Jonathan joined about a dozen children, some of whom have intellectual or developmental disabilities, and their parents in an anti-bullying workshop presented by the Family Resource Network, a statewide organization dedicated to disability education and support services.
The goal of the three-part evening was to educate and train children and parents in the intellectual or developmental disabilities community on current anti-bullying laws and the discipline of a fitness routine.
The program, held at the Hwang Martial Arts studio in Springfield, included a talk on cyberbullying, a "Kids on the Block" puppet show about children with disabilities and a martial arts demonstration.
"There?s a lot of information about anti-bullying laws and what they mean and we want to empower all students to understand them," said Adenike Sonaike, a coordinator with the organization. "It?s especially important for this group since they have a higher probability of being bullied.
A Lancet study funded by the World Health Organization?s disability department said this month that children with disabilities are about four times as likely to experience bullying as those who do not have a disability.
Technology has only increased a bully?s reach.
"Years ago, bullying was being pushed by someone, embarrassed in front of friends. You didn?t walk that way home anymore," said Sgt. Michael Hoose of the Union County Prosecutor?s Office. "But when you got home, you were safe. The doors were locked, your parents were there. Today there is no safe haven for a child to go to escape bullying."
Hoose told parents about the dangers of posting one?s whereabouts on websites like FourSquare and Facebook in his lecture on cyberbullying and internet safety. He even encouraged parents to have their children leave their cell phones in the kitchen overnight.
"I?m not telling you take everything away, but do not use this technology if you?re not going to understand the ramifications," he said.
Natalie Hiott-Levine of Millburn in Essex County performed a "Kids on the Block" skit about what it?s like to be a child with an emotional disorder in a mainstream classroom. Hiott-Levine said she got involved because she wants her son?s peers to better understand what it means to have a disability.
Her son, Zach, who has multiple disabilities, attended the event, asking the puppets questions and kicking along to the martial arts demonstration.
"He hasn?t experienced any bullying," Hiott-Levine said. "But this is a way of preparing him for what he could face."
After listening and watching, the children were eager to get up and move for the martial arts portion of the evening. Paul Del Sordo, who teaches pediatric martial arts, said the discipline teaches self-regulation, builds self-esteem and increases muscle tone and range of motion.
"Kids with the inability to handle group sports come in here and the group itself is independent so you do your own thing. But at the same time it?s social, so you?re part of the group," Sordo said.
For 11-year-old Jonathan, the key to finding a sense of security was ballroom dancing. His experience inspired his mom to write a children?s book called "Aiden?s Waltz."
"He is a remarkably different kid from December," Marin said. "Two weeks ago, he danced his first cha-cha with his sister in front of an audience. Whether it?s dance or martial arts, it?s all about finding activities that helps a child be successful, that focuses on ability rather than disability."
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