Learning how to protect yourself (usually from perceived bullies) is one way to increase confidence among children who have none. Bring out the boxing gloves. I think that this kind of “teaching moment” should be extended to girls. But what the fuck do I know. It’s hard enough to facilitate awarenes among the mommies, the foster mommies, the adoptive mommies, the pseudo-mommies, and the teacher-mommies, that self-defense makes sense when you take into account the adversarial, behavioral paradigms kids confront the minute they step into a school. Violence is often just a reality of their lives. Perpetrated by moms and dads who are left in a daze as to what is going on such as what role each parent chooses to model. The best message being: You Can Do This. Versus: I Do Not Want You To Do This. Kids have seen their parents struggle through a pandemic where keeping your shit together has become increasingly difficult. Kids understand but they don’t get it. They are learning how to internalize. They’re kids. We have taken this training indoors, we are covid testing, and we learned the hard way that wearing masks while learning how to avoid (by weaving, dodging) being smashed in the face. There will be tears. But boys want this stuff. I ban mommies right and left. If mommies are in the room, the younger boys will keep a visual lock on her approval or disapproval. It easier to simply ban parents altogether. If they want to leave the boxing, you gotta let them go. Ordinarily, I would think that we would try to take our disagreements to another location, another room, so kids didn’t have to see adults being idiots. But this time around, I want the boys to see adults who are overwhelmed. I want to process this with the kids. I want them to “get” that just because adults disagree, it is not the end of the world. Abused kids can slide quickly into panic mode. But we have to face Adults Who Cannot Agree On Parenting Issues. I want the boys to experience moments where they can see for themselves that at the end – within the context of what is a game – nobody died, the earth did not implode, and there was a purpose to the wearing of helmets (I lie about telling them that I have always worn a motorcycle helmet while riding my dirtbike) then, I want us to talk about exactly that as a group. Then and only then, the gloves go on.