Close Quarter Dad

In this episode, we are joined by New York City Police Sergeant, Eric Carricato.

I want to talk a little bit about the zero tolerance policy and how we can have discussions with our children about it.

It seems counterintuitive to teach our children self-defense only to be told in school, if they defend themselves at any level, well, it's going to work against them. That they may even get kicked out of school or put on some longterm suspension.

A little background first.

The zero tolerance policy became a pretty common thing in the mid-1990s, as school administrations' adherence to certain laws were put in place back in 1994 about firearms. This is where it all began. Then it spilled over into drugs and violence.

Some school administrations have gone so far to say that if there is in-school violence, any type of fight or a situation of bullying, then both parties are going to be removed and dismissed. That’s absolute zero tolerance.

Some of us can be pretty critical about that policy. Meanwhile, others can be very accepting to it and saying, "Look, I want zero violence in our school regardless." Either way it comes down to a simple fact that if we’re teaching children personal protection, then we have to also make sure that they know how to articulate certain situations to school administrators, teachers or adults.

And make them FAST instead

Let's have a discussion about something we say to our kids all the time.

I want to reframe this for you, help you to look at something that's so common that every parent, especially dads, say to their kids. Whether it's when they're learning to become better at sports, or whether it's something to do with academics - any life skill for that matter that we're trying to teach them, and it takes a certain amount of effort, and a certain amount of repetition for them to be able to capture what it is that they're trying to do, and to be able to develop that skill set, and to work themselves towards some degree of expertise or excellence at it.

It's most commonly used in sports, it's used in academics, used in all sorts of life skills.

I'll share with you the three reasons why you should not say this to your kids anymore then you'll be on a whole new path to helping your kids achieve success.

The saying is,

practice makes perfect.

How many times have you said that to your kids?

We say it all the time with the best of intentions, too, but one of the things that we have to understand is that practice simply does not make perfect.

You can be a little bit wrong, just a little bit wrong, and the only thing that doing something with 10,000 repetitions is going to do is it's going to help you to become really good at doing the technique wrong.

Practice doesn't make perfect because practicing one thing over and over again without the persistence towards perfection, focusing truly on the form, and mastering first the formula of what the expectation is ... In a personal protection context, it's going to be doing a technique right, really diving down and understanding why the technique works, how the technique is going to work, and then being able to discover the movement, or the principles, or the characteristic of the lesson within different contexts, many different variables, many different scenarios or situations.

Then, once you have mastery of the technique and you thoroughly understand it then it's through the persistence of training and doing the technique over and over again with many different variables.

Will you be able to develop the mastery?

Check out the complete episode here,

Stop telling your kids this one thing

at CloseQuarterDad.com

In this second of two episodes, Avi Nardia (Major, IDF Res.) shares his deep insight to the flaws in martial art programs today for kids, and how parents can recognize a quality leader within schools. 

As well, Avi shares how he chooses to guide his own son, by taking him around the world while allowing him to find his own path. Some powerful messages here for us all.

Finally, Avi shares with us about the work he is currently doing in Africa, dedicating his time and resources to helping the children in one of Africa's largest slums study martial arts. 

Avi Nardia is not only one of my teachers, one of my inspirations in the world of martial arts, but someone I have the honor and privilege to also call him a friend.

I am really excited and I could not speak more highly of this man as a warrior but also as a fellow father. It is really exciting for me that is going to be the kick off podcast, the kick off episode for Close-Quarter Dad, and I would love and I am excited to introduce all of you to my friend Avi Nardia sensei.

About Avi Nardia

Avi Nardia is a world renowned martial artist. He has taught around the world for decades and travels to clubs throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia to teach his own self defense martial art KAPAP.

During his 24 years as a reserve officer, Avi Nardia (Major, IDF Res.) served as an official hand-to-hand instructor and safety officer

Resources

AviNardia.com

In this first of two episodes, Avi Nardia (Major, IDF Res.) shares with us the amazing history KAPAP/Krav-Maga formed in the early history of Israel. Reflections of his father and other military men from elite military units are shared, and his recollection of their teachings. 

As well, Avi dives into how Israeli martial arts and self defense truly came to the west and many of the misconceptions people have of it's past. 

Avi Nardia is not only one of my teachers, one of my inspirations in the world of martial arts, but someone I have the honor and privilege to also call him a friend.

I am really excited and I could not speak more highly of this man as a warrior but also as a fellow father. It is really exciting for me that is going to be the kick off podcast, the kick off episode for Close-Quarter Dad, and I would love and I am excited to introduce all of you to my friend Avi Nardia sensei.

About Avi Nardia

Avi Nardia is a world renowned martial artist. He has taught around the world for decades and travels to clubs throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia to teach his own self defense martial art KAPAP.

During his 24 years as a reserve officer, Avi Nardia (Major, IDF Res.) served as an official hand-to-hand instructor and safety officer

Resources

AviNardia.com

Why your kid may not have situational awareness, and how you can fix it

I want to have a discussion with you about situational awareness and be able to share with you some ideas and techniques that you can use with your children to help them to be able to identify potential risks, hazards, or threats, as well as obstacles and exits; should they need to be able to get themselves out of a dangerous situation quickly and effectively.

Situational awareness kind of seems like a tactical term, and I guess it is, but more than anything, it's just having a positive assessment of your environment in any condition.

Things that might be dangerous, things that might create a risk, possibly people that I know are going to challenge your child. They want to be able to identify that quickly remove their self or de escalate those situations in the best way possible.

It's really nothing more than coaching your children like you already do to look both ways before they cross the road, or, "Always be aware of your surroundings." And I can go on and on with examples.

Go to the full episode here: Close Quarter Dad

Today I want to share a really cool drill you can do with your children. Don’t forget, make it playful – don’t be captain serious.

 This exercise will help you teach your child to create immediate decisiveness when it comes to either threatening or threatening stressful situations. 

 It’s called The Sleeve Catcher.

The Sleeve Catcher name is actually coined after a old Japanese law enforcement tool that the police used called the sodegarami, a spiked staff used to catch the kimono of a violent criminal. They'd catch the garment and force him to the ground in order to restrain them.

The Sleeve Catcher is an excellent exercise that helps your child create fast initiative and rapid, decisive decision-making, without telegraphing their mind or body.

First show them two steps. The first is simply have them begin in a natural standing position, and then quickly step forward and slightly off center-line. Without stopping their motion, they will turn 180 degrees facing opposite in which they were standing with their hands lifted slightly in front of them, as though placing the palms on a wall that’s close to them.

The second is a little more complicated, so don’t introduce it until the first movement is done successfully several dozen times. So we don’t get ahead of ourselves, I’ll introduce the second movement at the end of the exercise. 

Now, your role. Begin by extending your arm to hold your hand about three to four inches away from their shoulder sleeve. Use a parallel grab, in other words; prepare to grip their left shoulder sleeve using your right hand.

Here’s where it gets fun.

The moment the sense that you're about to grab their sleeve, I want them to one way or the other, in the manner you showed them.At the same time, they will be pushing you away, or they're moving the arm away. Don’t make this a martial arts, it’s not mean to be some type of karate block. What I ultimately want them to do is to move behind you, and stunning you at some level.

Check out the complete episode: Close Quarter Dad

One of the priorities to your child's self awareness is helping them grow up with a positive self image. In this episode we discuss how not falling into destructive narratives, imposter roles, or simply not being happy about who they are can be an easy trap for young people to fall into. But it doesn't have to be that way if we are guiding them correctly.

But guess what? Things happen, mistakes, rejection, peer pressure - and what then? How do we show them how to stay strong in those moments and not let our broken moments define who we become? That's what we talk about in this episode.

This is a powerful discussion, and one we all need. Our self image drives so much of what we do and the decisions we make, therefore we must be vigilant as men and not only guide our kids to positive self image - but have it ourselves.

START TRAINING YOUR KIDS NOW

Here’s a complimentary lesson I made for channel listeners on the 3 Discussion you must have with your kids about safety and survival. It’s only ten minutes long, but could be a life saving 10 minutes of your time spent. 

CloseQuarterDad.com/3Discussions

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I’m going to recommend that maybe you ‘not’ enroll your 3-5 year old in a martial arts program. If anything, enroll them into a gymnastics, tumbling program.

You see, let’s imagine they ‘actually do’ end up getting rough with a kid in their kindergarten class. The other child ends up grabbing your child, causing her to fall over.  

Going to the ground safely, rolling, being aware of what’s on the ground and coming back to their feet is more important to their immediate safety, than that mean kindergartener.

 If you do chose to enroll your little one into a martial art at such a young age, then I strongly encourage an art like quality Judo or Brazilian Jiujitsu.

Check out the complete episode at Close Quarter Dad

Where it all began and what motivated me to start Close Quarter Dad; this episode is a brief outline of why the topics of personal protection, loss prevention and family safety must be taught by Dads everywhere.

I discuss,

Start training your kids now. Here’s a complimentary lesson I made for channel listeners on the 3 Discussion you must have with your kids about safety and survival. It’s only ten minutes long, but could be a life saving 10 minutes of your time spent. 

CloseQuarterDad.com/3Discussions

Connect with us and learn more about Close Quarter Dad

WEBSITE: https://closequarterdad.com

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FACEBOOK: https://Facebook.com/closequarterdad

What can you do to support this channel?