Telling your kid that they are the bigger person because they won’t fight back is the same as a bully being an ass to other kids because they have their own problems.

Neither makes either child stronger. It just masks their insecurities by inflating their egos.

I’m not saying that you should tell kids to beat the crap out of their enemies.

I am saying that they should be equipped to defend themselves and know that it is an option if the problem persists.

If a bully is bothering a kid and they are told to always ignore what the bully has to say, the problem almost never goes away. They become submissive and live day in and day out in fear of if they will be physically and emotionally harmed. Low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, sometimes for a lifetime is a way higher price to pay than a broken nose and a week of suspension.

Plus, at least from my life, the kids that fought back and lost were usually never picked on again/ended up befriending their bully.

I teach Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - I choose this martial art because it doesn’t rely on striking which can deal uncontrollable damage. I am bias when I say I think kids should learn BJJ. Pretty much anything grappling.