As parents, our obligation is to educate our children about right from wrong and to do our best to get them to make proper decisions. We must also make them aware that there are many people out there (both children and adults) who make poor decisions that harm others in the process—whether it be mentally, emotionally, or physically.

Children learn through modeling behavior and if we are not leading by example or having them associated with a role model or role models who are leading productive lives, our children will learn through other means (primarily their peers and the media—which, in most cases, both are negative and can lead your child down the wrong path if he or she hasn’t learned proper values through modeling behavior, or doesn’t have the confidence and self-esteem to make proper choices).
Our children’s education is vital and it starts with us as parents. We must teach them about the dangers of society and how to recognize, avoid, and handle those dangers. We cannot sit back and make believe that nothing will ever happen. The reality is, as parents, we can only do so much; and our children view us differently because we are there parents. So how can we educate them and get them prepared for life’s struggles and dangers? How can we get it to sink in?

My guess is that you are a great parent who truly cares about your child’s future or you wouldn’t be reading this. Think for a second about this question: what scares you most about your child?
As a parent myself, I can guarantee that it is his/her safety that is most important to you. I know that I cringe at the thought of anything happening to my daughter. The world is a scary place and if your child isn’t prepared he/she could easily be put in harms way.

Just read the local paper. Violence occurs regularly in our small town of Bradford, Pa. If you look at McKean County it’s even worse. Many people try to avoid the reality that things are getting worse. Let’s stick to the facts of our own area and you will find that there are assaults (in all forms), bullying, break ins, drug busts, and vandalism on a daily basis. The one’s you read about are the one’s who were caught. There are many others getting away with it. I am sure you are aware that there have even been a few murders in Bradford (one in 2009).

Do you fear for your child’s safety when you are not with him/her? Would you feel more comfortable knowing that your child can recognize the signs of danger and avoid it? Or, what about if your child knew what to do if faced with a violent encounter?

The best way to educate your child is to become affiliated with those who are experts in the field of reality based self-defense and personal protection; these experts—who are hard to come by—deal with an array of important factors, but primarily provide a clear, concise understanding about all the different aspects of violence and how to be properly prepared for them. This is not to scare anyone, but to provide a sense of “real” confidence so that you and your child can walk peacefully.

We teach a system of self-defense (American Kenpo) that was created by martial arts legend Ed Parker. Parker knew that traditional martial arts were outdated and were not working for practical self-defense usage. They were good for sport, but not for reality. What good is it to get a black belt, but not be able to defend yourself? American Kenpo is a system based on logical and practical thinking. It is an analytical study of motion and works with the laws of the universe, which are primarily composed of physics and geometry. We teach what works and also explain “why” it works. It’s all based on logic. Tradition binds you and there is no alternative when something doesn’t work. Traditional movements require luck to work and you perform them a certain way because your instructor said so. If you question the movements you get reprimanded for being disrespectful. In Kenpo, we encourage you to question everything. You need to become a self-thinker.

We are McKean County’s only reality based self-defense school and leadership training center. We know what you want and how to give it to you, and you can have much less stress and worry knowing that your child is getting properly educated.

Now, back to violence. To understand violence we must first define it. According to the number one on-line encyclopedia, “Violence is the expression of physical or verbal force against self or other, compelling action against one’s will on pain of being hurt.”

The World Health Organization ( “WHO”) in its first World Report on Violence and Health defined violence as "the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation."[37]

This organization (“WHO”) estimates that each year around 1.6 million lives are lost worldwide due to violence. It is among the leading causes of death for people ages 15–44, especially of males.[38]

Violence entails a broad array of things; it could be a physical altercation between two individuals who get a minor injury, or a war where millions of people die. Some violent acts include: damaging property, animal cruelty, physical altercations, homicide, murder, bullying, assault, rape, verbal threats, verbal insults, and theft.

It’s important to understand violence that your child may face and how to handle it. It’s even more important for your child to understand this and what to do. The more you understand it, the better. It’s imperative to know why people commit violent acts; how to recognize the signs of potential violent acts; how to deter them from occurring in the first place; how to avoid them; and how to deal with them if they happen so that your child can escape being a victim.

We can do that for your child. We are the local experts in this field with a track proven record of results. We have several testimonials on our site to prove it.

Although there are many reasons why people commit violent acts, the use of violence often is a source of pride and a defense of honor, especially among males who often believe violence defines manhood. So how can we change this? Allow us to assist you in reaching your goals for your child. Appropriate education and proper modeling behavior is the answer.

Violence is becoming more and more redundant these days. A study was conducted by school teachers showing the difference between 1940 and 1990 and how violence had escalated. In 1940 the top disciplinary problems were: Talking out of turn, chewing gum, making noise, running in the hall, cutting in line, dress code violations, and littering. Not too bad. Are you ready for this?

In 1990 the top problems were: Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, pregnancy, suicide, rape, robbery, and assault. So in 50 years things have changed drastically. Now we are twenty years later and violence has escalated even more with a higher percentage of bullying of all forms, gang behavior and more.

We must take an active approach to change this. It starts by educating yourself and your child.

The question now, with the growing numbers in violence, is what causes these problems, and how might we prevent them? Snell and Volokh, 2005 offer their own hypothesis.

• Poverty, which lays a foundation of anger and discontent;
• Illegitimacy and the breakdown of families, which lead children to seek the stability and caring environments of gangs;
• Domestic violence and child abuse, which foster learning and behavior problems, frustration, and retaliation;
• Society-wide violence rates and juvenile violence rates, which spill over into the school;
• The drug culture and its violent distribution network, which encourage students to arm themselves;
• Immigration, especially from countries where formal education is less valued;
• Population mobility, which creates an atmosphere of anonymity;
• Discrimination, which exacerbates the frustration and anger of minority students;
• Violent cultural imagery, from TV shows to sympathetic news coverage of militaristic foreign policy, which numbs children to the effects of violence;
• Materialism and advertising, which creates a culture where children are manipulated and feel exploited;
• Competitiveness and high parent expectations, which make children lose the identity and uniqueness of childhood before their time.   (Snell and Volokh, 2005)
  
  

Bullying is one of the most dominant forms of violence that your child could be faced with. A recent study shows that 41 out of every 100 students in grades 6 through 10 have reported that they were bullied at school. Is your child one of those statistics?
It is believed that children who are bullied at school show signs of depression and antisocial behavior (The Science Teacher, 2004). Those who were involved in school shootings also displayed depression and antisocial behavior. This is not to say that all children who are bullied will eventually go on a school rampage, but it does seem to say that those who do commit school shootings display the same characteristics as children who were bullied. (Bartini and Pellegrini, 2000).

What does this mean? It means that if your child does not learn proper ways to handle bullying situations, he may end up becoming depressed and may do something horrible enough to land him in prison or get him killed.
Here are some things we teach our students on how to prevent fights:

HOW TO PREVENT FIGHTS
Conflict is a normal part of life. We all have occasional conflicts, even with people we love, but we shouldn't let little conflicts turn into big fights, especially violent ones. Here are some rules for keeping conflicts from getting out of control.

• Tell the other person what's bothering you - but do it nicely.
• Don't let your emotions take control.
• Listen to the other person.
• Try to understand how the other person is feeling.
• No name-calling or insults.
• No hitting.
• Don't yell or raise your voice.
• Look for a compromise.

And, if all else fails, ask somebody else to help!

We teach our students that there are several action steps we can take to avoid physical altercations in the first place. Most self-defense situations can be avoided if we were properly aware of our environment. Our students recognize and understand that the physical part of what we do is last resort and only to be used if someone is attacking them.

Here is a write up found on a Violence education Web site that we felt would help you to better understand this topic:

Violence is a learned behavior.  Children learn violent behaviors from their family and peers, as well as observe it in their neighborhoods and in the community at large.  These behaviors are reinforced by what youth see on television, on the Internet, in video games, movies, music videos, and what they hear in their music.
 
When children are disciplined with severe corporal punishment or verbal abuse, or when they are physically or sexually abused, or when they witness such behavior in their home, it is not surprising that they behave violently toward others.
 
Research studies have shown that violent behavior can be decreased or even prevented if these risk factors are significantly reduced or eliminated:
Being the victim of physical abuse and/or sexual abuse
Exposure to violence in the home and/or community
Exposure to violence in media (TV, movies, etc.)
Use of drugs and/or alcohol
Presence of firearms in home
Combination of stressful family socioeconomic factors (poverty, severe deprivation, marital breakup, single parenting, unemployment, loss of support from extended family)
Most importantly, efforts should be directed at dramatically decreasing the exposure of children and adolescents to violence in the home, community, and through the media. 
 
As an individual is exposed to more risk factors, the probability that he or she will engage in violent behavior increases.  Clearly, violence leads to violence.
 
Warning Signs
 
Get help quickly if your child is exhibiting these warning signs for potential violence:
threats of violence, either verbal or written
past violent or aggressive behavior (including uncontrollable angry outbursts)
access to guns or other weapons
bringing a weapon to school
past suicide attempts or threats
family history of violent behavior or suicide attempts
blaming others and/or unwilling to accept responsibility for one's own actions
recent experience of humiliation, shame, loss, or rejection
bullying or intimidating peers or younger children
being a victim of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, neglect)
witnessing abuse or violence in the home
themes of death or depression repeatedly evident in conversation, written expressions, reading selections, or artwork
preoccupation with themes and acts of violence in TV shows, movies, music, magazines, comics, books, video games, and Internet sites
mental illness, such as depression, mania, psychosis, or bipolar disorder
use of alcohol or illicit drugs
disciplinary problems at school or in the community (delinquent behavior)
past destruction of property or vandalism
cruelty to animals
firesetting behavior
poor peer relationships and/or social isolation
involvement with cults or gangs
little or no supervision or support from parents or other caring adult
a sense of entitlement -- believing he/she should get what he/she wants at whatever expense

Typically, the greater the number of these warning signs present, the greater the risk.  It is important to realize, however, that many children exhibit these warning signs and never resort to violence.  Even so, these signs can be a cue that something is wrong, and your child needs help.

The best help you can give your child to prevent any of these signs, or if you are seeing any of these signs is to get him/her enrolled in one of our programs. It’s simple. Call us at 814-368-3725 to find out how. We even offer a $19.95 intro program where your child will receive a one on one private class and two group classes and then you can decide if you want to enroll him or her. If you have already made up your mind that you want to enroll him or her, then you don’t need to spend the $19.95 and you can just start your child right up in our program at the base monthly rate that we charge (call us for that info.)

We accept children ages 4 and up, but our focus on heavy violence prevention is geared towards ages 7 and up. We are sure to keep all education age appropriate so that children really understand. Our programs are always close to the cut off (we normally only have 3-5 openings per class, so you must act quickly). Call us to let us know how we can help you.

If you have any questions about violence in general call us and we’d be glad to assist you with the information you are looking for. You can also feel free to stop by our school anytime for any assistance you may have or problems you may be facing. We are open full-time seven days a week. We offer free starbucks coffee as well, all throughout the day.