Raising Kids Who Can Protect Themselves

A dynamic program for empowering children to protect themselves

In Raising Kids Who Can Protect Themselves, Debbie and Mike Gardner share their decades of self-defense experience to show parents how to teach their children courage—the trait needed to make brave, smart, and safe choices, no matter what their age, no matter what the situation. Raising Kids Who Can Protect Themselves helps families foster courage in their children at an early age so that it becomes an inherent trait, rather than a situational need. The book features:
Age-appropriate methods to instill courage in children without creating fear

Courage coaching as a way to create a “family” defense system

Lifesaving skills, such as quality eye contact, voice control, breathing, control of inappropriate crying, development of positive self-talk, and space awareness

Ways to reduce children’s vulnerability

Site-specific survival strategies, from parties to the mall to sports practice




Every time I watch the nightly news, I thank God my wife and children have been trained by Debbie and Mike Gardner. Please, please, please read this book as a family. You will learn how to avoid the most dangerous situations and fight your way out of the rest. We live in a very different world today—arm your family with the power of this book.

-Cris Collinsworth, Sports Commentator for Fox/HBO Sports

This book is brave, bold and one of the most important books I’ve read in a long time. A must for parents everywhere.

-Doug Hall, Author of Jump Start Your Business Brain