Parents - Please teach your children early to defend themselves.

With the summer season here, it’s a good reminder to be mindful of safety for your kids.

Children are vulnerable and deserve a fighting chance as early as possible. For many parents I’m sure a lot of what I’m saying is obvious - in the comments please share safety tips to other parents and caretakers if you’d like.

Children need to be run through some scenarios if a stranger approaches them or if another adult is making them feel unsafe. They also need to learn self defense and the value of defense vs. the act of harming someone else.

If your child is 4+ years old, it’s never too early to give them safety tips - without scaring them.

There are communities which give free self defense classes. Some trusted police stations can advise.

Teach your child self worth - without spoiling them.
Teach your child theres safety in numbers the older they get.
Teach your child when to scream, run, ignore and call for help when in danger.
Teach your children never to talk to strangers, to never believe they have candy or a puppy to give them.
Teach your child not to panic, but to be act calm and have tools to refer to in potentially dangerous situations.
If they are lost in a store, tell them to talk to an adult behind a counter and stay with them until their parent retrieves them.

Now this may seem broad as so many possibilities can happen. Again, I know this sounds obvious….but one careless mistake or oversight can be a threat.

Vigilance and awareness is vital. Your children deserve defense and safety, so they can flourish and grow up strong.

Tragically so many children have fallen victim to deadly circumstances.

There’s no perfect plan to avoid danger….but give your kids a fighting chance. It’s worth having talks with them and preparing them.

Have a safe and happy summer.