Protect your Children; 4 Self Defense Skills

It is an unpleasant thought, but one that must be confronted; children are vulnerable when away from their parents and home. Self defense classes and strategies specifically designed for children to use are essential and should be taught to every child.

Emergency Information and Code Words
Every child can be taught their phone number, address and how to contact emergency assistance. Even very young children can manage to dial 911 if necessary. If you have special needs children it may take longer, but it is doubly important to practice regularly.

Code words are used between you and your child, if an emergency arises. If a stranger asks your child to go somewhere with them, have your child ask for the predetermined code word. If the individual doesn’t give the code word, teach your child to run away and get help from someone they know.

Drop and Scream
While it may seem that the best thing to teach your child to do when being abducted is to kick and scream, it isn’t. That looks like a common tantrum to most people. Teach them to drop their whole body weight to the floor and grab their attacker’s feet. This slows them down, makes your child difficult to snatch and creates a lot of tumult.

Then have your child scream “this isn’t my parent” loudly, over and over. The perpetrator is much more likely to try and run away than make off with a child at this point.

Preventing Sexual Abuse
Most children who are sexually abused are victims of people they know. No one, barring a medical professional who has your permission, should be touching them anywhere private. For young children that is anything covered by underwear, for older girls, include their chest.

Let you children know that they can always come to you if someone touches them inappropriately. Tell them that if anyone tries to touch them that way they should say “no” loudly and continue repeating it, yelling, kicking and fighting to get away. Explain to them that someone who would want to touch them that way may make threats against family members, the child, a pet and anything else they can think of to get their way, and that those threats are lies.

Enable your child with facts and strategies for self defense so they can remain safe no matter where they are.