FIGHT OR FLIGHT; IMPORTANT SURVIVAL SKILLS FOR THE YOUNG ONES TODAY by Olabanji Joel

Truth be told, the world is becoming a more dangerous place to live in daily. Insecurity of different nature has become the order of the day and the most devastating one is the increased rate of bullying amongst the high school students. Recently in Nigeria, a student was said to have been killed following being bullied by his fellow students in the secondary school and I saw different people come up with several opinions about boarding schools. I would like to state that bullying is in both day and boarding school, it also exist in both private and public schools but the impact across boards varies based on the severity of the bullying.

I started my secondary school at 11 and I had the hostel experience all through which included being bullied many times by seniors for several reasons but remained strong and eventually developed a means of survival which was either to fight or run depending on the situation at hand.

NEED FOR PARENTS TO TEACH CHILDREN ON FIGHT AND FLIGHT RESPONSE TO SITUATIONS

While in primary school, I was not among the bright kids neither was I a smart boy. This sincerely, caused me a lot even as school age child but it all changed when I was beaten by a classmate of mine and I cried home, my parents refused to go to the school with me but instead told me to fight back as they would not fight my mate on my behalf. To cut the long story short, before I graduated from my primary school, I was known to be a very strong boy and many saw me as a stubborn child. Remembering old days now, I really wasn't scared of my colleagues or anyone at the later part of my primary school days and all through my days in secondary school. However, I was taught how to run when need be, my assessment of the situation should either be for me to run or stay to. During my hostel days, I could remember being beaten up by seniors for my bucket, water, space etc, I physically fought with some seniors which landed me several beatings while some gave me freedom as many seniors just left me to my space. I once had an encounter with a senior who gave me six hot slaps over my bucket, despite the slaps, I didn't release the bucket to him, I held tight unto it and this made the bucket mine still even till the issue was sorted. On many cases I fought out my challenges but also run when need be. All the qualities I got while growing up are being magnified into who I am today. My avoidance of some situations has never been because of fear but sometimes because of self-respect, peace, personal principle or respect for some persons.

Please all in the name of training good children, Parents should not train cowards as we are in a dangerous world where self-defense cannot be over emphasized. No knowledge on self-defense is a waste even to the use of pepper spray, body spray or perfume.

IN ALL THINGS PARENTS DO TODAY, SURVIVAL SKILLS MUST NOT BE EXEMPTED FROM THE THINGS THE CHILDREN GET TO LEARN WHILE GROWING UP IN THIS CRUELSOME WORLD.

Olabanji Joel

A Nurse, Writer and Socialist

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