I was fortunate to have a Dad who was an ex-NYPD detective. That means when I was growing up, I was taught street smarts and awareness from an early age. It also meant, I couldn’t get away with much! In the following article on Fatherly.com, I give dads my favorite self defense advice for their daughters to keep them strong, safe and confident! Read on.. Dads: Self Defense Advice For Your Daughters.
A father’s worst nightmare is his daughter being threatened or hurt in any way. (The second-worst nightmare is just a guy speaking to her). And while denial seems like a perfectly good option, the better one is getting her prepared for the often violent world.
You’ve seen dads that train their daughters to walk through the world with confidence and throw a punch like Ronda Rousey. But the secret to their swagger is giving them the ability to actually put a threat in its place.
That’s exactly what Jennifer Cassetta, founder of Stilettos and Self Defense, has been preaching — or, more appropriately, demonstrating with her 10-plus years of Korean martial arts skills.
“I was being taught how to be street-smart from my dad at an early age, and I’ve always valued that,” says Cassetta. “There’s this false sense of security in females — you think your dad will always take care of you and they never really learn how to defend themselves.”
Here’s how one badass woman is going to teach your daughter to defend like a girl.
1. Stop Paying Attention To The Phone, Start Paying Attention To Everything Else
Face it, your kid (and her attention to Snapchat) is her own worst enemy. Since there is still no known cure for cell phones, Cassetta stresses being aware as the biggest lesson in her teachings; usually, awareness can prevent anything from ever escalating.
“Nowadays young girls, teenagers — everyone really — are all connected to our phones. We have our earbuds in. We’re not paying attention,” she says. “Dads need to tell their kids it’s important get off your phone, look around, and be aware of your surroundings. Especially if you’re walking alone.”
2. Stare Down A Would-Be Problem
Making eye contact is important, be it in a salary negotiation or facing off with an attacker. (Or attacking your boss during a salary negotiation.) Cassatta says scaring the pants off of someone with your eyes like you’re Christopher Walken could keep anything from occurring.
“Your body language can really do a lot,” she says. “When you’re walking, have your shoulders back and head up, and always make eye contact. That confidence can often help people not approach you.”
Click here to head to Fatherly.com for the rest of the article, Dads: Self Defense Advice For Your Daughters.
