When Parents Aren't Around: A Young Person’s Guide to Real Self-Protection

By Jamie Clubb

“When Parents Aren’t Around” offers up-to-date and well researched information that is easy to read for 8-13 year old children and their parents. The aim of the book is to teach children basic behavioural skills for self-protection, designed with a proactive approach that switches them onto survival without making them paranoid. It is written so that information can be learnt and retained with a special introduction and a chapter for parents to help in their child’s self-protection education. This book focuses on the soft and hard skills needed to be in place in order for a child to have a better chance to avoid or escape safely from a physical confrontation.

REVIEWS:

“When Parents Aren't Around' A young person's guide to real self-defence provides comprehensive insights into the world of self-defence, and debunks many myths and misconceptions. It is an excellent resource, which parents and children can use together to learn a range of practical techniques and life skills, which will enhance their confidence and self-esteem. The message that integrating a genuine self-defence framework into a person's life helps to achieve an independent and safer future is a powerful one. I recommend this book as very readable, and one which gives sound advice to parents and young people about how to deal with actual and potentially challenging situations”.
Claude Knight – Director of the Kidscape children’s anti-bullying charity.

"There is so much in this book that will genuinely empower children. What sets Jamie Clubb's approach apart is his emphasis on self-defence as an attitude of mind rather than just a series of physical moves.
This book will be of real value to any child who feels bullied or is unsure how to handle other people's aggression. By teaching children how to read threatening situations accurately and cultivating their self-awareness Clubb's methods will help children keep themselves out of danger, as well as giving them the self-assurance and practical skills they need to handle it when they cannot."

Dr Stephen Briers – TV child psychologist on numerous programmes including Little Angels, Teen Angels, The 10 Demandments and author of Superpowers for Parents

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jamie Clubb
• Release date: Oct 23, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370334261

Jamie Clubb

Jamie Chipperfield Clubb was born into a circus family. He lived on his parents’ travelling show until they ceased touring in 1983.Unsurprisingly his background led him to pursue a wide range of subjects and experiences. He has had a lifelong interest in writing, history, psychology, literature, mythology, the arts, criminology, showbusiness, critical thinking and physical development.He has been a professional performer, an extreme professional wrestling promoter, an administrator for his parents’ private zoo and he is a qualified assessor for National Vocational Qualifications/Qualifications and Credit Framework.He gained his first black belt aged 16 in Sakiado and went on to train in a wide range of martial arts and modern self-protection systems, gaining several teaching qualifications, including a BTEC Advanced Award in Self-Defence Instruction. Having written for the UK’s leading martial arts magazines he has had the opportunity to train closely with some of the world’s most renowned instructors. He founded his own approach to martial arts and self-protection, Clubb Chimera Martial Arts in 2004.He wrote and presented the best-selling documentaries, Cross Training in the Martial Arts 1 and 2, in 2005 and 2006 respectively.His first book, The Legend of Salt and Sauce, was published in 2008.In addition to his martial arts business website, Jamie has two blogs:www.beelzebubsbroker.blogspot.com for all his miscellaneous writingswww.jamieclubb.blogspot.com for his work related to circus historyJamie is married with a daughter, a stepdaughter and a stepson, and lives on his parents’ zoo in the Cotswolds.

Book preview

When Parents Aren’t Around

A Young Person’s Guide to Real Self-Protection

By

Jamie Clubb

Smashwords Edition © 2017

Published by Ex-L-Ence Publishing at Smashwords.

Neither the author nor the publishers of this eBook have any knowledge of your personal situation or abilities. Therefore they cannot be held responsible for your use or misuse of any of the advice contained within this book. Further, it is your responsibility to discuss with whatever professionals you consult before taking any of the advice contained within this book. The book also contains links to websites that the reader may find interesting; obviously neither the author nor the publishers are responsible for the content of any third party websites.

The material contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for instruction by a qualified instructor.

Nothing is intended or should be interpreted as representing or expressing the views and policies of any department or agency of any government or other body.

All trademarks used are the property of their respective owners. All trademarks are recognised.

Editing by Ian Lewis and Robert Agar-Hutton.

Cover design by Gianni Susassi based on a concept from Mim Clubb.

Club Chimera Martial Arts logo design by Gianni Susassi.

The right of Jamie Clubb to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988

Contents

Message to the Parent

What is Self-protection?

Fighting

Life’s Warning Signs

Spotting the Warning Signs in Others

Different Types of Attacker

A Special Chapter on Awareness

The Fence - Setting Boundaries

Dealing with a Physical Situation

The Will to Survive

When Parents are Around: Children and Parents Training Together

Glossary

Recommended Books for Parents and Children

Clubb Chimera Martial Arts - Realistic Self-protection for Children

Thank You

Message to the Parent

This book is written with the young person in mind and it is intended to tell the truth, as it is today, regarding self-protection. Sadly the world of self-protection teaching often gives the wrong idea in the form of abstract quick fix solutions. I view self-protection as an all-encompassing attitude to life. I see it as a set of robust principles, naturally grown from common sense and instinct. It is about being switched onto life and understanding others. This understanding has a dual effect. In the first instance it teaches children how to perceive and handle a threat. In the second, it improves their communication skills and self-confidence.

Self-protection is all about independence and independence comes through an honest understanding of life. Whether we like it or not most children, at some point, will be left in situations when they will have to think for themselves. Such circumstances can occur at a much earlier time in their lives than we might wish. Being on their own is a natural part of growing up, but it also means that at different periods they will be exposed to danger. A child’s ability to handle that danger needs to be instinctive, but this can only be learnt through honest experience. Therefore in order provide the most honest experience possible it only follows that we need to make their training in self-protection as realistic as possible. Such realism obviously has to be safe and enjoyable at the same time in order for the information to be quickly absorbed. After all, independence is all about making a decision and it would seem like a logical start to have a child choose to learn self-protection. A good teacher can make lessons enjoyable, but it is the realism that requires the support and understanding of parents.

I learnt fairly early on when I started training young students that a parent’s cooperation and encouragement is crucial. A self-protection lesson is not a crèche or just another activity. It is as important as any other safety lesson - such as cycling proficiency, first aid or road safety - and should be viewed as such by the parent, the child and the teacher. However, in order for a parent and child to take this degree of seriousness to such an activity they need to be confident they getting what they have signed up for. The teacher or coach has an obligation to the parent to deliver a service that is clearly designed for the purpose described.

Unfortunately this is not often the case. An industry has built up around children in the martial arts, teaching minors anything but efficient modern self-protection techniques. Important lessons, like awareness, are often glossed over and training for children is mainly physical. Unfortunately due to fears over Health and Safety, and concern over class number retention the physical side of training can be worse than useless. We have seen the emergence of games in lessons that have no relevance to martial arts or self-protection whatsoever and are often included as bribes to keep a child’s interest. This completely ruins the objective of the training in the first place. Imagine taking your child for football or netball practice only to find out half the lesson was taken up by another unrelated sport and that playing an actual game was rare.