School Survival Guide

survival guideChildren spend a large part of their day away from parental protection, in a little tornado of chaos we at Holistic Survival like to call the school system. It only makes sense to teach them how to survive that particular environment because one only has to review the past decade’s list of school shootings to realize the mean streets of America have settled in the education system. Here’s a quick school survival guide, not exhaustive, but intended to get you thinking in the right direction.

When confronted by an aggressor in the movies, the plucky hero or heroine fight back with a jab to the eye with a key chain or well-placed kick in the groin. In real life, unless you are particularly trained in self defense tactics, this usually only serves to antagonize the aggressor. Your best bet is to get away. Do what you can to de-escalate the situation and get the heck out of there. Find other people quickly. One of the best ways to de-escalate a tense situation is to not get angry. Don’t rebut a bully’s taunts or insults. Use mis-direction like, “Is that Principal Skinner headed this way?”

The best school survival guide tactic is to avoid the situation before it ever arises. Your intuition tells you a lot if you pay attention. Feel like someone’s watching you exercise by yourself on the track? Maybe the shifty guy in the back corner of the elevator raises the hair on the back of your neck. Use your brain! Don’t get in the elevator.

Here are a few basic precautions to take:

1. Avoid shortcuts through isolated areas
2. Travel in a group at night
3. Make sure friends and parents know your schedule
4. Carry a cell phone
5. Be willing to report crimes in your school to police

Is this school survival guide everything your kid needs to know about staying safe while they learn? Of course not. Our world is much darker than that but it is a start. Parents…your turn now.

The Holistic Survival Team

Holistic Survival

Flickr / Ed Yourdon