Help Your Child Become A Tough-Target Kid
ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE
The School Of Winology Blog Site
“‘Cause it’s a crazy, messed-up world out there-”
HELP YOUR CHILD BECOME A TOUGH-TARGET KID
By Harry The Hammer
I teach a couple novel and innovative Escape and Evasion courses for children. Beyond the few dollars I pick up, I am very serious and motivated to help our youngsters develop awareness concerning sexual predators, abductors and others who would do them harm, if given the chance. In my last blog I urged parents to become Courage Coaches, noting that any successful self defense for children program will fail without their active involvement (by the way, I do not consider my courses self defense courses. They are much more). I write this blog, then, with two premises in mind:
1. If you are a parent and you are reading this, you are committed to protecting your child(ren) against dangerous people (including sexual predators, child abductors, kidnappers, bullies, et. Al.).
2. You realize that no matter how well you coach your child(ren), you cannot be with them to and from school, in school, on the playground, and you know that even when they are “home,” there are those unguarded moments when they are playing outside wherethey are vulnerable, even with you mere feet away (as unbelievable as it seems, over 8 % of abducted children are snatched from inside the home, or from a front or back yard).
IT is with the latter premise in mind I suggest that parents (Courage Coaches) work with me to begin developing characteristics that will help make their precious children Tough Targets. All children have what it takes to redefine themselves from easy victims to a child sex offenders and other miscreants tell me and other researchers that they would rather pass up for an easier target.
TOUGH TARGET KID (TTK) PROFILE
· The TTK shows that he or she is aware and observant by keeping his/her head up and looking around. The Easy Target Kid (ETK) is often selected because his or her head and eyes are down and the ETK is seen as meek and timid. This can be taught through role plays and repetition. In a kind and supportive way, remind your child when you catch him or her looking down.
· The TTK has a confident walk, arms swinging easily, head up, eyes scanning. The ETK has a restricted gait, eyes cast down.
· The TTK looks confident and unintimidated, even when he or she feels intimidated. This is a skill that can be taught.
· The TTK Denies the Bad Guy Proximity. Verbally and physically controls his/her space! The ETK allows an adult to get inside his PSZ (Personal safe Zone) without protest. TTK knows that distance is his allie.
· The TTK actively watches adult who is watching him/her. Watches cars “sharking” (driving back and forth constantly) where he/she is.
· The TTK has been coached and given drills (by a Courage Coach or an instructor) on Tactical Breathing. The TTK always breathes to alleviate the
inevitable fear that can debilitate and freeze a child. Breathing promotes the flow of oxygenated blood to the neo-cortex, the “Thinking Brain,” which allows the TTK to activate his or her Action Plan.
Ø Runs to a pre-designated “safe spot (which he/she will know because the TTK was aware enough to plan ahead).” The ETK has no plan, and, therefore, no “Safe Spot” to run to. The ETK almost always freezes.
Ø If that is not a good option, the TTK makes a lot of noise, acts “crazy,” runs away in a zig zag fashion, throwing objects at the Bad Guy’s feet (”Destroying the Environment”). Almost all would-be child abductors tell us the “last thing we are looking for is a noisy, crazy kid—”
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In the next Winology Blog: Survival Games To Play With Your Child.