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Why the negativity towards martial arts and self defense classes? They do not automatically make kids bullies, and they do teach kids to run and remove themselves from bad situations if they can. They teach them how to get away if they have been grabbed, and how to knock guns and knives out of hands as well as how to elbow certain spots to weaken the person grabbing them so that they can get away. Of course, you never know what will happen... but if someone were to grab one of our kids, we feel that they would have a better chance with the skills they have learned. There have been news stories about children getting out of bad situations using skills they learned in martial arts and self defense classes. It's not a bad thing - I don't really get why anyone would be down on it, or talk about it as if it's a waste of time. If anything - it's good exercise, and helps kids learn to focus and to set and meet goals for themselves - things which also helps with their education.
As I said before, I totally agree that the the HS dropout rate in America is devastating. But that discussion is off-topic here - perhaps there is a thread for it already in the education area of the forums? We're talking about keeping our kids safe here, no?
Why the negativity towards martial arts and self defense classes? They do not automatically make kids bullies,.
There have been news stories about children getting out of bad situations using skills they learned in martial arts and self defense classes.
But that discussion is off-topic here We're talking about keeping our kids safe here, no?
Nothing automatically makes anybody anything. But bullies always seem to know how to beat other kids up, don't they? How did they learn that? Not from martial arts classes, but from parents who taught them the philosophy that physical force is useful in human interactions.
There have also been news stories about people who survuve when their parachute doesn't open.
Isn't it interesting, how regularly the "off-topic" card is played whenever a poster uses an example of an alternative? Martial arts are wonderful, compared to what? Not allowed to say, because that is off-topic. If you want to ONLY talk about keeping our kids safe, without any other considerations for what is good or healthy or productive for them, you are doing your kids a horrible disservice. You can limit the topic to safety only to the degree that you are willing to limit your interest in your kid to safety. After all, he'd be perfectly safe, locked and chained in a dungeon, where nothing could harm him. It would be "off-topic" to argue that that would not be good for him in ways unrelated to safety.
You have a familiarity with this topic that I do not possess, so I'd like to ask you this: Approximately how many hours of training would be required, to make the average ten-year-old competent to disarm a man with a gun or permanently subdue or disable a 200-pound adult male aggressor? Competent enough that you would feel confident that your kid would prevail in such an encounter. My "off-topic" point is that those hours could be spent more productively, overall, to the kid's development of self-worth.
Martial arts classes, pepper spray etc are not the answer o kepping ou kids safe from predators. They don't hurt, but awareness, not going to far from home alone, and just plain being smart are the best ways to keep off the goblins. Whatever the statistics on crimes against children the fact is that they happen and you don't want your child to become part of that statistic. Teach them to stay frosty and not to be a target. The unthinkable CAN happen and that needs to be at the front of our minds. As to martial arts classes, many of them (the better ones) will teach kids that falling back on combat is a bad thing. They teach avoidance of conflict and sharpen mental skills as much as physical. Martial arts training is a positive force in the universe overall, so long as it is taught properly and does not teach a child to believe they are invincible.
Martial arts classes, pepper spray etc are not the answer o kepping ou kids safe from predators. They don't hurt, but awareness, not going to far from home alone, and just plain being smart are the best ways to keep off the goblins. Whatever the statistics on crimes against children the fact is that they happen and you don't want your child to become part of that statistic. Teach them to stay frosty and not to be a target. The unthinkable CAN happen and that needs to be at the front of our minds. As to martial arts classes, many of them (the better ones) will teach kids that falling back on combat is a bad thing. They teach avoidance of conflict and sharpen mental skills as much as physical. Martial arts training is a positive force in the universe overall, so long as it is taught properly and does not teach a child to believe they are invincible.
Exactly, thank you. It doesn't hurt, and can help overall if properly taught. Both the safety issue and the education issues are equally important. Just as I believe them to be interrelated issues, really. In my mind, you cannot put one above the other as they both need to be addressed and continually worked on.
Hmmm, intersting topic. Well, I have "armed" my 13 year old with the best weapon I can right now. His brain. We have had MANY talks and actual training sessions about how to be aware of his surroundings and to spot trouble spots and potential threats. We live in a rural area and it's pretty quiet all in all but I won't allow that to lull us into complacency. Traveling in no less than a pair would be a sound tactic in the case of the OP I'm thinking. Never go out alone..PERIOD. mace and pepper spray well sure why not but the best way to avoid being a victim is not to be a target at all. Any predatory Goblin is going to look at a lone individual with slavering jaws. They can also spot an unwary target a mile away. It's what they do. Strength in numbers and be AWARE.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
Why would anybody live in a COUNTRY where there is no place safe to go out alone? And then say it is the best country in the world.
I agree with nvplumber but never going out alone is not really practical in all instances.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
Some states have HS drop out rates of nearly 50% and all of them the drop out rate is at least 20%. If we are going to teach our children anything more than we're teaching them now, don't you think it would make more sense to concentrate our resources on teaching them to read and write, rather than how to use physical force to subdue other human beings? How do you suppose I lived to be 70 years old without learning martial arts? You know what? It is really, really easy to prevent becoming a victim.
I don't know anyone whose kid left school to take only martial arts!! This is generally an after school activity.
My son takes karate, one day a week for an hour. I have never even suggested that he could ward off an attacker w/his karate skills. He has, though, he's almost 8 and has taken karate for a whopping 3 months. I clearly told him, and demonstrated, that a strong adult will take him down no matter the karate! He didn't like being taken to the floor but I had to do it because he was so certain he'd win.
It is frightening, the situation. You know that the likelihood of your child actually being attacked really is very slim, but the reality is it can happen any time.
Therefor, you've got to arm them with the knowledge of what to do or how to act if a situation arises. Then you have the dilemma of how much to tell them. You want them to understand the threat is real but not freak them out. It's tough to find middle ground.
I'd never give my child mace, though, that is just not a solution (as karate is not a solution, either, might help but not a reason for a kid to learn karate). But mace, no, I'd be worried he'd get himself in trouble with it or lose it and someone else would get in trouble with it or hurt someone else.
Btw, jturr, I didn't know you were 70!!!! I just didn't get that from your posts, though you are clearly well traveled!
My son takes karate, one day a week for an hour. I have never even suggested that he could ward off an attacker w/his karate skills. !
So, you seem to be admitting that the value of karate has nothing whatsoever to do with protecting him from that horrible impending danger that has NVplumber and other macho fathers cowering in terror. If it is a mind- or body-expanding activity that your son enjoys, then great. But the position that every kid, willing or not, should be trained in martial arts because it will protect them from daily brushes with death has not been demonstrated. And that is the topic of this thread. Assessing the risk, and intelligently managing it. The risk is absurdly close to zero, and expecting a 98-pound child to ward off the danger with his bare hands is not intelligent management.
So, you seem to be admitting that the value of karate has nothing whatsoever to do with protecting him from that horrible impending danger that has NVplumber and other macho fathers cowering in terror. If it is a mind- or body-expanding activity that your son enjoys, then great. But the position that every kid, willing or not, should be trained in martial arts because it will protect them from daily brushes with death has not been demonstrated. And that is the topic of this thread. Assessing the risk, and intelligently managing it. The risk is absurdly close to zero, and expecting a 98-pound child to ward off the danger with his bare hands is not intelligent management.
Macho father!? Dude whats your problem? If you want to stir the pot your doing a good job. I'm trying to add to the discussion here, and If I were some "macho" type I would NOT be advocating avoidance of conflict. as to the risk of crimes against children, if you believe them to be so low why are you even bothering to post here? Stick your head in the sand and call it good. This post is insulting, offensive, and unintelligent. I have tryed , repeatedly to keep my posts on topic, and to adress your comments diplomatically. You INSIST on being combative. Macho indeed.....
Why would anybody live in a COUNTRY where there is no place safe to go out alone? And then say it is the best country in the world.
I don't think any other country is more safe when it comes to these types of random crimes where there is no rhyme or reason to it. Sexual offenders are a dime a dozen. They are like car accidents....you never know when it may effect you or someone you care about.
As far as the OP....I don't arm my youngest son. He is 17, 6'2" and weighs 250 pounds. They joke would be on the offender who would find his face smashed to the curb. I will say that while he was younger, I was very careful about bringing a date to my house unless I had known them a long time because the world is full of perverts. Young boys are often overlooked and under-protected when society talks about this problem.
Why do people lifve in cities where things like that can happen? Move, and raise your kids in a safe place.
I really do think the area we live in is unsafe and I would love to move and raise my kids in a safe place. I just don't know where that place is. I am open to suggestions though.
Because, really... any crime can happen any where at any time.
That said, OP ---
I assume you will also forbid your son to ever ride in or drive a car.
After all, he has a higher chance of being in an accident than he has being jumped by an attacker.
Hi Pitt Chick, I agree crime can happen anywhere. However, I don't understand where u r coming from beyond that point- What does riding in or driving a car have to do with anything? And respectfully, how in the world do u know what has the higher probability of occurring? And that has even less to do with resolving the question of arming a teenage male with mace or making him aware the times have changed and anyone could be a target for sexual assault.
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well sure why not but the best way to avoid being a victim is not to be a target at all. Any predatory Goblin is going to look at a lone individual with slavering jaws. They can also spot an unwary target a mile away. It's what they do. Strength in numbers and be AWARE.
