The Most Important First Lessons: Awareness and Preparedness

I am teaching my six year old granddaughter Karate. One of the first lessons I taught her and repeat often is that you must be aware so that the can avoid a dangerous situation or attack. Even if you cannot completely avoid an attack, if you can see it in advance, you will be in a better position to defend against it. So the first thing is to be aware. The second thing is to be aware. The third thing is to be aware. Then maybe the fourth thing is how to defend. The fourth thing is certainly important, but the first three things are also important. By extension, I want my granddaughter to be aware of the things around her as she plays in the yard, does homework at home, goes about her day at school, rides in a car, etc. Being aware at all times is the goal. The next step is to be prepared for whatever the threat may be. We can practice for certain situations and make sure we have the necessary supplies for an earthquake, tsunami, or a simple injury. We can also be prepared for an unexpected attack, but this is just part of overall preparedness. To be aware and prepared. These are the foundations for self-defense. And these are some of the things I am teaching my six year old granddaughter. Respectfully, Charles C. Goodin