SPOTTING DANGER BEFORE IT SPOTS YOUR KIDS

A brief, practical manual for parents and caregivers who want to help children identify and safely respond to dangerous situations.

This book aims to encourage kids’ eventual independence by teaching them basic principles of situational awareness and problem-solving. Quesenberry, a retired federal air marshal, firearms trainer, and defense training consultant, is passionate about his message that even very young children can develop ways to recognize potential threats and learn how to get help, when needed. He cautions adults against pursuing an overly simplistic “stranger danger” approach and focusing too much on kids’ use of technology, such as smartphones,rather than on real-world threats. He encourages readers to use everyday family activities to build children’s skills and strongly discourages teaching fearfulness or pushing lessons too hard. Throughout, he emphasizes building family teamwork, listening closely to kids, and talking with them honestly in ways that are developmentally appropriate. Some concepts derived from law enforcement, such as color-coded awareness levels and the OODA loop (“Observe,” “Orient,” “Decide,” “Act”), could have been presented in more reader-friendly terms, and an explanation of learning styles seems more appropriate to a business context, as few parents are likely to present their kids with flowcharts or PowerPoint presentations as learning aids. However, Quesenberry clearly explains his key concepts as well as a step-by-step process for teaching them to kids at different age levels, including recommendations for “Family Game Night” activities. Chapters include brief “Kids in Action” anecdotes involving heroism by real-life children between the ages of 3 and 13; simple exercises for parents and children to do together (usually in the form of games); and a helpful summary of “Key Points.” As the book goes on, readers are sure to gain confidence in their own ability to sensibly safeguard their young ones.

A detailed but mostly straightforward kids-safety guide.