A Mom’s/Student’s Point of View

(Originally posted here.)

As I was preparing to launch my daughter from the nest into the wide world, I was concerned that she be safe since she would be far from home and away from my protection. When I tried to talk to her about uncomfortable subjects, like sexual assault, she’d cover her ears. She’d say, “I don’t have to worry about it, Mom, it’ll never happen to me”. That comment alone motivated me to sign us both up for Fight Like a Girl. As our skills progressed, I not only saw her confidence grow but I was able to grow myself. I not only enjoy learning self-defense, but love to share what I’m learning with others.

When teaching others, I watch them as they are at first shy, reluctant, with down cast eyes, and their arms crossed over their chests. I’ve even had young ladies, cower back and timidly say, “I don’t want to be mean”. One of my absolute favorite moments is that as we begin to teach about walking with confidence, enforcing boundaries and even throwing in some good punches, knee strikes and yelling like a crazy lady, something magical happens. And this magical moment is something I’m addicted to seeing; when those timid and shy girls with downcast eyes look up and there is a transformation. Now there is an earnestness, a power, and a self-determination as they stand tall and know that they are of worth and that they can stand up for themselves.

I’ve had opportunities to teach a number of young women about self-defense and seen over a hundred of them make this transformation. Many of these girls have come up to me later expressing how scared they are to live in such a dangerous world and how much they needed to discover that they can be smart in what they do and that they can protect themselves. I’ve even had a girl come to me later and excitedly share how she actually used the pony-tail pull down technique to get away from so-called friends that were trying to force her to smoke a cigarette. She wasn’t being sexually assaulted but she was being bullied and I loved seeing the light in her eyes as she told me with pride how she was able to stick up for herself.

Like my concerns for my daughter’s safety leaving home, my greatest hope is that by teaching our young girls and women simple self-defense skills from Fight Like a Girl, that we will all be able to protect ourselves and experience that magical moment when you discover you are worth fighting for, you are important and you are capable of being safe in this scary world.

Ashley