Teach Your Kids Self Defense
Testimonial from Earl Mack, a retired former Deputy Director Of Homeland Security
Child abductors are experts at luring children in. They know to use common phrases that a parent would use over a child to gain the child’s respect. Such phrases are;
Respect your Elders
Don’t talk back to an Adult
Obey your Elders
Listen to Adults always
Help out an Adult when they ask for help
The predator will use these very common phrases to trick the kids into doing what they want. You can teach your kids these phases that the abductor may also use against them. Tell your child that this would be the only time to disobey an order from an adult or teenager if the child is in the hands of an predator.
Teach your child to run away and yell to keep from being abducted. If your child is abducted, it is important that your child learn self-defense that could help save their lives.
Kids Scaring Off Predators
It is quite possible for a child to scare off a predator if the child knows what to do. As I mentioned before, if you teach your child to yell, kick and run away, most predators will drop the child and quickly get out of sight. No predator wants a screaming kicking child on their hands. They are too afraid of being caught. Predators are looking for easy kids to abduct. If a child is quiet and easy to lure, that is an easy target for a predator to take.
THINGS A CHILD SHOULD SAY
One of the most effective things to teach your child to say if a predator tries to take your child away is;
Help Help! You are not my Mom!
Help Help! You are not my Dad!
Help Help! You are a stranger!
Help Help! I don’t know you!
In my book on safety, Saved by a Whistle, I also teach children to carry a whistle. If a predator tries to lure your child or grab your child, tell your child to take off running and yell for help and blow their whistles to cause a distraction. This could scare off the predator and help save your child’s life.
Teach Your Child Self Defense
Another self-defense method your child can use is, if the predator grabs the child from behind and tries to cover the child’s mouth to keep the child from yelling. Teach the child to bite down hard on the predators hand to inflict pain.
Teach your child to Kick as hard as they can (hopefully making contact with the groin)
Throwing their head back into the attacker's head
Dropping to the ground and curling around whatever they see pick up and strike it against the abductor.
Tech your child to run in zigzags. It’s very difficult for an abductor to catch a child running in zigzags.
Of course physical recourse should be the last result however, at this point the odds are not very much in the favor of the child. Make sure the child knows to run away first before using self-defense.
Also teach your kids that it is okay to interrupt an adult when they are talking if they think someone is after them. Be sure that you do role plays with your kids so they will know what to do if a stranger tries to abduct them. Don’t try to scare the child, speak to the child calmly but get your point across. Remember, your child’s safety is important.