Self-protection

[flfsurveyor]

With all the baddies running around, how can we make our children protect themselves? I've thought of sending them to self-defense martial arts training or maybe having the older girls carry Mace or something.

 

[writer811]

I don't know about where you live but where I live, Mace is illegal to carry. Pepper Spray is legal, though, and I insist on my family carrying it. You could also look into other defensive weapons. I know a lot of them are legal but obscure and hard to find.

 

[Andersson]

I really do not understand the difference between mace and pepper spray, I thought they were the same thing? As for kids I think its important to learn how to defend yourself but remember that sometimes things like this go to a kids head (sometimes adults too), be sure to properly explain when the time is needed to actually use those defense moves and when its not appropriate.

 

[Lorenzo]

I had my girls take up Tae Kwon Do. It's better that they know how to defend themselves when needed. Of course, we always remind them never to use their martial arts skills to start a fight or bully others.

 

[Jatelo2]

Before taking them for Martial Arts lessons (Which would be my recommendation), Ensure you teach them the best weapon of all: Avoid compromising situations, bad company included

 

[Bryant]

My kids are too young, but when they are old enough they will be enrolled in martial arts classes for self defense. For myself and my wife, we never leave the house unarmed. We both have our CCW's and we carry daily.

 

[dreyz]

Prevention is better than cure. Rather than resorting to martial arts, teach and educate the kids about the danger of the current world. Most incidents can really be avoided if you have taken extra measure and care about your surroundings. Little things like not going out until past midnight, mixing with the right people and knowing your limits when travelling are a few ways (applies to more grown up kids)

In terms of self defence, my kids never learnt any, and knock on wood, they have not encountered any unwanted problems since they were young, and they will be reaching their 20s soon.

 

[joeldgreat]

My eldest is now entering the stage of adolescence. At her age of 12, I was wondering if she could now carry a pepper spray for her protection. That would be a first line of defense for her. Next summer, me and my wife was also convincing her to attend a Judo class so that she may learn how to defend herself as a back-up plan for the pepper spray. Right now, she had still had her whistle pinned in her school ID. And I think she will soon remove it within the next couple of months or so.

 

[writer811]

I really do not understand the difference between mace and pepper spray, I thought they were the same thing? As for kids I think its important to learn how to defend yourself but remember that sometimes things like this go to a kids head (sometimes adults too), be sure to properly explain when the time is needed to actually use those defense moves and when its not appropriate.

Mace is made differently and is a lot stronger. Mace can permanently blind you, pepper spray would have a very hard time doing that. It's similar to the difference between mace and bear mace. Used on a bear, bear mace will probably drive it off. Used on you, you will never see again. Probably damage you nose and mouth too. Pepper Spray on a bear? Only annoying.

 

[JRDeep]

I might have my kids take a martial art, or maybe boxing. Their mother used to(still does...) get into fights with other girls growing up. For the most post, our kids seem pretty docile. I think they are masking their true potential.

 

[FrankSinatra]

Martial Arts like Krav Maga is a good route to go. Also teaching them to be vigilant...I know if it was up to the wife then everything would be roses and she gets mad at me for noticing dangerous things...like walking alone in a dim parking garage at night.

 

[Niceness8000]

I intend to put my kids in self-defense classes as soon as they are old enough to have the attention span to learn the arts. This will be mandatory in my household - I should also add that I plan to take the classes with them. I've known a parent who's daughter was abducted five years ago. I watched her every day trying to work and trying to deal with that - especially when it first happened. The authorities still have not found her. I could not imagine the torment she suffers and I fear that kind of torment worse than I fear death.