I am a peaceful person, but I understand that there are times in life where we have to use our physical strength to stand against evil and defend ourselves and the people we love.

I have never been in a fistfight, and I hope I never have to, but I have mentally prepared myself for the possibility someday. I have also started preparing my daughters on how to respond (mentally and physically) in case of an attack.

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Know The Steps

Avoid

The best way to guard yourself against an attack is by avoiding situations where you can be attacked. Everyone does not enjoy the benefit of living in safe cities, safe neighborhoods, or even safe homes. But to the extent that you can avoid a dangerous situation, I recommend you take precautionary steps.

The following are some of the avoidance principles we are teaching (even though some of them may not be applicable yet):

• Show kindness to all people, but be aware that not all people will return that kindness
• Don't place yourself in situations that isolate you from other people, either physically, emotionally, or digitally
• There is strength in numbers

Run

We prefer prevention, but we also teach preparedness. We want our children to trust their senses to the point that if something does not seem right, they know they can leave. There is a lot of cultural pressure on children to stay in situations that may not be good for them, especially from their peers.

Regarding potential physical attacks, we want our children to be prepared to run away (physically leave the situation). Running away is not shameful. Running away could very well save their lives.

Hide

My children may not have the physical strength and endurance to run away from an attacker. When attacked unexpectedly, there may not be a viable path for removing themselves from the dangerous situation. The next step is to hide.

Being quiet, staying calm, and effectively communicating with others is an important part of the hiding process. Remaining unseen is crucial. Remaining alert is vital. I want my kiddos to always be on the lookout for new opportunities to run away.

Barricading can be a life-saving endeavor as it potentially slows down or prevents an attacker from entering a room where someone is hiding. I have taught my children to lock doors when possible, to move furniture when available, and to use their bodies as barriers to prevent doors from being opened.

Engage

The final step is attack, but engaging should be the only option when all other options are no longer available.

The following are some of the engage principles I have taught my daughters:

• When possible, attack as a group. Once again, there is strength in numbers.
• Usually, attackers are physically stronger, so you have to be mentally strong.
• Be aggressive towards soft targets on your attacker - eyes, ears, groin, hair, etc.
• Use all of your weapons - fists, thumbs, elbows, knees, teeth, etc.
• Don't let the attacker use fear to prevent you from engaging.

Final Thoughts

I don't like thinking about the possibility of something happening to one of my children. As a father, it is my job to protect my kiddos to the best of my ability. It is also my job to prepare them to protect themselves.

I don't want to create fear, but I do want them to be aware and ready. I feel that I am teaching my children something that can very well save their beautiful lives and protect their child-like wonder.

I want to hear from you.

1. Have you discussed these steps with someone important in your life? Children, spouse, etc?
2. Do you feel that you and your loved ones are prepared for an unexpected attack?

Thanks for stopping by. See you in the comment section.
@SumatraNate