Page 22 of Steel
“I feel scared,” whispered nine-year-old Tamia.
“My hands are getting sweaty,” eleven-year-old Marcus added.
“Good observations. You’re paying attention to your body’s warning signals, which is very important. Now, keeping your eyes closed, I want you to take three deep breaths with me. In and out.”
I counted slowly as we breathed together. Their shoulders began to relax slightly, and they looked visibly calmer.
“Very good. This is going to reset your brain’s alarm system,” I said. “Now, with your eyes still closed, imagine your brain clearing. It’s like a fog lifting, and you’re finally able to see clearly. There are a few things I want you to always remember: Stay where there are other people, trust your instincts, and use your voice. Picture yourself walking confidently toward a store or house where you see other adults or feel safe.”
When they opened their eyes, I saw the difference immediately. There was less tension and more alertness.
“How did that feel different from the scared feeling?” I asked the group.
Tamia raised her hand. “Like I could actually do something to protect myself instead of just standing there.”
“Exactly. We just practiced the most important self-defense skill—staying calm enough to think clearly when we’re scared. How about we practice some real-life situations? Parents, how would you feel about getting involved?”
Most of the parents stood and came to join us on the mat. For the next thirty minutes, we went through different scenarios to demonstrate situational awareness. While some of the scenarios might never happen to them, the skills they were learning could be useful in many situations.
I decided to let them out a few minutes early. While the kids were grabbing their snacks, the front door opened, and Jaeda walked in with KJ on her hip. The look on her face told me something was wrong. I excused myself from the parent I was speaking with and went over to her.
“What’s up?” I asked, taking my son from her.
“I um, . . . I got around to getting the information you asked for.”
“Is it bad? It’s gotta be bad for you to come up here.”
“Kerrion, . . . I don’t know how to tell you this.”
“Tell me what?”
She opened her mouth to speak, but then her eyes shifted. I followed her gaze to see that she was staring at Nayelli who was walking over to me.
“Have a good day, Mr. K,” she said, smiling and waving.
“You too, sweetheart.”
She looked up at KJ who was staring her down.
“Is he yours?” she asked, never taking her eyes off him.
“Yes. This is KJ. You wanna say hi?”
She hesitantly reached for his hand. The moment she touched him, he gave her a gummy grin.
“I think he likes you,” I said, looking up at my sister who watched with a look I couldn’t quite read. “Nayelli, this is my sister, Jaeda.”
Nayelli looked up at her. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Jaeda whispered.
Nayelli’s eyes drifted back to KJ. “Mr. K?”
“What’s up?”
“He looks just like?—”
“Nayelli, we have to go,” her aunt said from the door.
