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Thankfully we live in a safe area and we've never had to arm our kids with mace. Of course attacks can happen anywhere to anyone, but we live in an area with a very low crime rate, that was one of the reasons we left a city. But I had a thought, I assume many assailants have weapons? Would mace necessarily stand up to a gun? Perhaps a course in self-defense would be also be a good idea.
Now I can follow what u r saying. I don't know if mace would really help anyone in a situation, but it might. Of course it won't be a match when a gun is involved, but it is not designed to be. It may stun an attacker long enough for a person to get away. I think a self defense course is a great idea for the whole family. I am just wish we didn't have to resort to such things.
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.
I think I need to know exactly how to get my teens brains to work (ha ha). I think u r right though. It sounds like u r well informed and equipped for what is going on in the world today. I love all your suggestion and am going to make it a priority to use what u have said in educating my own teens.
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.
Hmm... U make a really good point. The answer to ur question is complicated. I think we really do live in the best country, but I am American and this is the only country I have experiencing living in. I hope there is some place a person can go out alone and be safe even though it seems like that place is increasingly more difficult to find.
We live in a very "safe" neighborhood - what I would call a upper-middle class "cop and teacher" neighborhood. That said, I've always taught BOTH DD and DS the importance of being aware of your surroundings and walking/acting in a confident mode etc. I did not arm my daughter with mace and it wouldn't even occur to me to arm my son. To be perfectly honest, a teenaged boy walking around with mace would be at a much higher risk from taunting or bullying by his peers (if they found out) than he would being approached by a sexual predator. Not to mention where exactly would he keep it? DS lives in jeans or basketball shorts, hard enough finding a place for his phone.
Yeah, I see your point. I think u get where I am coming from. It never occurred to me the need to talk to my son about mace or being a possible victim of a sex crime. I never thought about it before this incident. I just thought I must have been really out of touch because it never occurred to me to prepare for something so far fetched. I have not gone out and bought mace or anything, but I wonder if it is something a parent should should consider.
Martial Arts classes are great for helping kids learn ways to prevent becoming victims. My kids have also learned many different ways to get out of situations like being grabbed from behind in different ways and being held down in different ways. They've learned how to take down adults three times their size and how to handle different situations which might come up. They began taking classes years ago for fun, but when we realized that they were learning not just kicks and jumps but potential life-saving skills we had them keep it up. We don't care anything about what color belt they have or them being in competitions, we focus mainly on the self defense skills, discipline, building awareness, and understanding what it means to give and earn respect. We are not a violent family, we are pacifists actually, but we realize that we live in a violent world and we want our children to be prepared for living in it. They would carry mace if it was allowed - but their schools don't allow it.
Bad things can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Better to be safe than sorry.
You make several excellent points. I wish I could make my teens take a self defense course. The older boy thinks it is lame and the younger will usually follow his lead even though they don't get along that well. Maybe they will come across somebody else who gives that advice then they won't be repelled by it because it comes from their parent.
Mace would be a problem since it's likely banned from being in school. Also, boys being boys, I'll bet at some point a friend get maced. I believe awareness and maybe a self-defense course (mainly how to break free and get away), might be a better way to go.
I guess mace is a slippery slope, but I was kind of thinking an older teen working at night and around the college campus especially at night. Good point though. Is it still freezing in AK? Thx. for ur input
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.
You're funny. "the joke on the offender" "Smash face in" that's great. I love it. With a kid built like that he is not likely going to be a target and it does not sound like u will be easily taken advantage of either.
Have u ever talked to your son about how to fight off a would be rapist? I must admit I have never had this talk. However in the city I live in a 16 year old boy was jumped by a man who planned to rape him. The boy said the attacker was making sexual threats and talking dirty to him as the attacker tried to force him into a car. Luckily the kid was strong enough to wrestle himself free and run home. This incident happened when he was walking home from school. I think we should arm our boys with mace or at the very least make them more aware that they can be sexual targets as easily as anyone else.
I live in a country town and my 9 year old daughter already knows a bit of martial arts and how to shoot. that does not mean you or any other parent should do the same, but giving your children as many options as available is always a good thing.
Yeah, she's 9 years old, get her a concealed carry permit. Sheesh.
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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.
