A Message About Cyberbullying — Especially When It Happens to Kids - By Sensei Liam Musiak

Recently, I spoke with a 12-year-old lad I know through a friend. He’s creative, patient, and incredibly skilled with his hands — building detailed models of trains, buses, ships, planes, houses, and more. He shares this work online, proudly and openly, as many young people do.

Instead of encouragement, he’s been met with cyberbullying.

People have left nasty comments on his videos and sent abusive private messages — swearing, mocking his work, and trying to tear him down. I won’t repeat the details, because the details don’t matter. What matters is this:

No child should be spoken to like that — ever.

I asked his permission before writing this. His name, accounts, and channels will remain private, exactly as he requested.

Cyberbullying Isn’t “Just the Internet”

Cyberbullying is real bullying.

It can hurt just as much as face-to-face abuse — sometimes more, because it follows you home and sits on your phone.

Yes, adults experience online hate too. I’ve seen it myself.

But when it happens to children, it’s far more serious.

Kids are still growing. Still learning who they are. Words can shape confidence, self-belief, and mental health.

Why Do People Bully Online?

In my experience, online bullying usually comes from two places:

1. They don’t have what you’ve got — creativity, courage, skill, or confidence.

2. They can’t do what you can do — and instead of learning, they choose to insult.

That never makes the bullying right. It just explains where it comes from.

If You Are Being Cyberbullied — This Is Important

If you are a child or teenager and you are being bullied online, please hear this clearly:

👉 Tell a trusted adult.

That could be:

• A parent or guardian

• A grandparent

• A school teacher

• A trusted instructor or coach

• A youth leader

• Any adult you trust and feel safe speaking to

You are not “snitching”.

You are protecting yourself.

If the bullying is coming from someone you know in real life, telling an adult is even more important.

Practical Steps That Help

Alongside telling a trusted adult:

• Block the account

• Report the messages or comments

• Don’t reply or argue

• Save screenshots if an adult asks for them

You don’t have to handle this alone.

A Message to Young People

If someone is attacking you online for something you love — your creativity, your hobbies, your ideas — understand this:

You are not the problem.

The problem is someone choosing cruelty over kindness.

Keep creating.

Keep learning.

Keep being proud of what you enjoy.

At Voracious Karate, we teach respect, discipline, and responsibility. Those values apply online as much as they do in the dojo or classroom.

Bullying — especially of children — is never acceptable.

And if you’re struggling: speak up.

There are adults who will listen.