Self Defense For Children

These self defense for children techniques should be taught to all children as soon as they can comprehend the lessons. Although we don’t want to raise paranoid kids, they need to be aware of the stranger dangers that lurk where we least expect it.

What if you were confronted with an abduction situation while with your children? Your chances of saving your kids dramatically increase if they can provide some resistance, also. Someday you would be with them constantly and you are going to worry less if they know self defense for children.

Here are some comprehensive techniques that can potentially help save a child’s life.

Your child’s ID card and file. You can order a kit at: Child ID Program

Include medical information, physical description and recent picture. Dental records, fingerprints and DNA samples should be kept in a home file. Also have a wallet size ID including picture to carry with whoever is accompanying the child. Have each updated annually. This is a real time saver if your child does go missing- let’s hope that he just wandered off long enough for you to panic (which isn’t long)!

Teach your child to know their entire name, phone number, address, your name(s). Teach them how to use a phone and about dialing 911.

Teach him about strangers. Remember strangers are not just people you’ve never seen. Tell them to stay at least an arm’s length from other adults, don’t talk to them, don’t take anything from them and never go anywhere with them!

Teach them that their body is private and that no one should touch them in a way that makes them uncomfortable. No one should touch them anywhere that their swimsuit would cover. They should have to hug or kiss friends or family members if they do not wish too- that would send the wrong message.

Emphasize that they are to keep no secrets from you, their parents, for any reason. If someone were to ask them to keep a secret they need to tell you right away.

Establish a code word, or better yet phrase to use in case you as a parent would need to have someone else pick up your child (someone he knows well, of course). If the person did not know the phrase the child must not go with them.

Never leave children alone; not at home, in the yard, in the car to walk home from school.

Do not have your child’s name on any visible clothing or back pack.

Now comes the hard part: teach them what to do when confronted by strangers.

Advise them of common ruses, such as asking for help finding a lost pet, asking for directions, impersonating a policeman or someone his parent’s sent to pick him up.

Run from strangers. Fast, immediately, yelling as they do. A personal alarm would be better than yelling.

Teach children that if they are grabbed they must try as hard as they can to escape. Screaming, squirming, kicking, biting, scratching, poking. They could yell, “Stranger! Stranger!- This is not my Mom/Dad!” They should try to grab on to a large object- fence, tree, pole, even a bike.

They should be taught to constantly try to find ways to escape, or never give up. If they can get a hold of the car keys they should do so and toss them as far as possible.

If the child is put in the trunk he should be taught to kick out the tail lights or use any tools he finds and make noise.

Lastly, play the “What if…?” Game. This is an excellent exercise in self defense for children. Take turns thinking of situations and what one would do in those situations. No the most fun of games, but it can help a child think quickly if she is ever in that situation, plus helps her to be more aware of her surroundings, understanding that these things could happen to her.

Remember these techniques of self defense for children and teach them to your kids.

Click here to return to the home page from Self Defense for Children.