Arming Our Daughters
By Ron Mullins and Thom Bolsch
Do you have a little girl? If you have a daughter; she will always be ‘your little girl’ regardless of her age. While the raising of children is generally a mother and father affair; fathers are a critical factor to teaching young women how to be responsible for their own safety and security as they leave the nest and enter the jungle of life.
Now! The title “Arming Our Daughters” does not necessarily mean putting a gun in her hand; however; it could, depending on her maturity and interests. We are going to expand the term arming to include fundamental knowledge and a foundation of the understanding of safety and security.
Your daughters are the treasures of life that keep you up at night! We are certain that you want them to be protected from people that desire to do them harm. But you can’t always be there if needed.
For the women that have attended one of our “Victim Proofing Women” classes; they will tell you that the most important aspect of arming your daughters is to teach them to be aware of their surroundings. If they stay alert to the situation developing around them; they can generally evade an unpleasant interaction. And while it is in a woman’s nature to be nurturing and want to help; they do need to consider the situation, their surroundings and have an escape plan should they sense a trouble.
So: The most important action a woman can take to stay safe is to BE ALERT.
An additional tip in arming your daughter is to allow her to take the lead on occasion. Children do not grow into adults if they are coddled and not allowed to experience life on their own. As they mature; you can help them understand how to experience life by letting them make decisions – and sometimes those decisions will not play out as expected. Let her decide on actions while you act as a buffer and provide guidance; and step in if needed. Best to do this when they are young and you can provide guidance than when older and you are not nearby.
Encourage your daughters to expand their foundation of safety knowledge. If firearms are not their thing, then help her find a path that she can follow that will provide her with the skills necessary to stay safe. Examples include: life safety classes, a self-defense program using one of the martial arts programs, a boxing class, training courses in the proper use of mace, or how to use a night stick or kuboton. With your help; she will find something that appeals to her that she can use regardless of her environment.
Now, if she is into firearms; at some point in her life, the experience of punching holes in a paper target with her dad shifts to a more serious comprehension of how she is responsible for her safety and security using a firearm. Sign up and accompany her in a fundamentals of fire arms class, at the appropriate time have her attain her License to Carry, and share your passion of shooting with her in a defensive shooting class.
At this point, reality is setting in that one day you may no longer be her personal protector. That responsibility is going to transfer to her. Understand that it is your responsibility to make certain she is ready to take on that responsibility.
As we have mentioned in previous articles, we as individuals are responsible for our own safety and security. Help her learn the basics. Encourage her to prepare and train.
We, and of course you, hope these skills will never be needed and only be a common bond between father and daughter. However; it’s better to have the ability and never need it; than to need it and not have it!
Stay Alert, Stay Safe,
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