This cycle we are equipping kids to defend themselves with a backpack, or in a situation where they are out with a backpack. Without training, a backpack can be a liability. We want to turn that around. These techniques work in ordinary situations, and most of them are for a bigger attacker. The dinosaur names come from Sr. Master Orvis in Arizona.
Tyrannosaurus self-defense: elbows in, tuck your head, and run. It stabilizes the backpack and lets the child stop the attacker’s motion.
Pterodactyl self-defense: throw your arms back and run. The student gets away instead of being held by the backpack.
Mosasaurus self-defense: roll backward and face the attacker. This one is for a similarly sized attacker, so the child can fight back in a way they can control.
Pachycephalosaurus self-defense: flip the backpack to the front and use it as a shield. This is the one for a situation where the attacker has a weapon.
The goal is to keep children safe. Nothing in the backpack is as important as they are. Leave everything to stay safe.
We end these lessons the same way. Know what to do. Be strong enough to do it. And, most important of all: I am worth defending.