• Child will report any suspected approach, contact or attack by a potential abductor to the parent. Parent must support the child.
• Parent(s) attend and participate in all classes, actually helping the child with the moves and techniques taught by the instructor.
• Parents can reinforce the specific skills and strategies emphasized in the class(es).
• Courage Coaches need to emphasize escape. Parents give the child “permission” in special circumstances to act rude to these adults, to disobey requests and orders from these adults identified as potential Bad Guys, to even physically attack.
• Children are taught that their Gut Instincts are natural and are usually accurate. If an adult gives him or her the creeps, the Courage Coach encourages their child(ren) to obey that instinct, even if it means being rude to a relative or “friend” of the family. Parents understand the principle that, if the “friend” or relative is well-intended, he or she will understand on the spot or later when the parent explains why the child acted they way he or she did that the child was trying to protect him or herself. If the person is a predator, and, yes, relatives and people who identify themselves as friends of the family have been known to attack the children who allow them to get close, resisting, being rude or running from that person will probably be a life-preserving move. On the other hand, a parent who chastises the child for refusing to allow a relative from hugging him or her, may prevent the child from acting on his or her own behalf against an approaching predator down the line.
• Courage Coaches Never use Scare Tactics when teaching their children self-protection skills.

AVOIDANCE AND PREVENTION IS 97% OF S.T.I.C.K.

Most of the actual COMET-Kids (STICK) classes are physical in nature, but, make no mistake about it, the most important element to being safe from attack on a daily basis involves Techniques of Avoidance. I cannot discuss all of the preventives measures I advocate (all you have to do to receive a copy of my monograph on the subject is to email me and request it) because of the limited scope of this article, but I can delve into a few issues, including:

1. IDENTIFY SAFE, MAYBE AND UNSAFE PEOPLE WITH YOUR CHILD: Again, here is a terribly crucial role that only the (parent) Courage Coach can effectively perform. I ask all Courage Coaches to sit down with their child(ren) and explicitly explain to him/her/them that there are people who are Totally Cool (Safe), including them, the parents, if applicable (Remember: One parent may be suspected of sexual improprieties, is estranged from the other spouse and has threatened the spouse and/or the child), relatives, siblings, clergymen and/or teachers, if applicable. Cool People are friends and relatives, teachers, doctors, coaches, etc. whom the parent identifies as trustworthy. However, the parent gives the child permission, if at any time, the child “gets the creeps” from a “Cool” Person, he or she should take precautions (run, etc.). Courage Coaches can identify Maybe People and even Totally Uncool People, usually strangers and/or people who approach the child uninvited under any circumstances.
2. IDENTIFY ESCAPE AND EVASION STRATEGIES: I always discuss a short list of strategies (a child-student’s attention span may not tolerate a long and involved list) with the parent(s) present and I usually present them in a handout format, so the Courage Coach can review them later with the child (several times). What follows are only a few of the Escape & Evasion Strategies I advocate:

• Assess, Aware, Anticipate and Act (I go over some of the non-verbal and verbal signatures of a potential abductor).
• If Possible, Leave the area once you are aware a possible predator is watching you.
• Keep Eye Contact with the Bad Guy Until You Are safely Away.
• Walk Out of an adult’s Unwanted Reach.
• Predators Are basically Cowards: They Get Freaked when a child acts “Crazy, “ Unpredictable. This creates uncertainty in the attacker’s mind. So, yell, laugh, scream out, and, if grabbed, follow the Comet-Kids Script:

 

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