A Growing Problem

Internet bullying is a serious problem in today's world, children now have access to so many devices that have internet capabilities and it can, in some cases cause serious damage to them, especially when they start registering for social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.


At Evade, not only do we teach kids how to defend themselves physically and verbally, we also teach them internet safety. We teach 5 rules about using the internet, including when to use it and to ask permission before going on certain sites and pages. 


However, sometimes they may not be aware of the dangers they are letting themselves in for, and as a parent it is your job to make sure they are safe. Below is some information on how to make sure your child is safe when using social networking sites:


Registering and choosing safe settings

If your child's about to join a networking site, there are things you can do to improve their security before they even start using it.

Privacy settings

Get your child to select the strongest privacy setting available when they create their account. This will ensure that their personal information is only seen by people they want to share it with. However, be aware that some sites are totally open to the public.

Safety tools

Learn about and make sure your child knows about the safety tools available to them on the service they're using. This might include a block function to stop unwanted contact or the option of pre-approving comments posted onto their profile before they are made public.

Staying safe while using social networking sites

The following guidelines will help make sure your child is safe while they are members of social networking sites:

• make sure that they don’t publish personal information like their location, email address, phone number or date of birth
• make sure your child is very careful about what images and messages they post, even among trusted friends – once they are online they can be shared widely and are extremely difficult to get removed
• encourage them to talk to you if they come across anything they find offensive or upsetting
• keep a record of anything abusive or offensive they’ve received and report any trouble to the site management (most sites have a simple reporting procedure, normally activated by clicking on a link on the page)
• make sure they're aware that publishing or sharing anything which would mean breaking a copyright agreement is illegal
• if your child makes an online friend and wants to meet up with them in real life, you should go along with them to check the person is who they say they are
• tell them to be aware of online scams – offers which seem too good to be true usually are
• encourage them not to get into any online discussions about sex as these tend to attract potentially dangerous users

EVADE Blackbelt School - More than just a martial arts school.

Which path is your child on?

Just seen an article in the newspaper this morning about parts of British cities (Manchester included), and how they are becoming 'no-go areas' controlled by drug-dealing gangs, being compared to cities in the US and Mexico.


Please read the full report here: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/891673-cities-in-uk-are-becoming-no-go-drug-ghettoes


Which leads you to thinking... why is this happening? 


Well, according to the article, 'mobsters' are are using drugs to enslave vulnerable youngsters and lead them into gangs and crime. And in my opinion, these youngsters just simply don't know any better. I feel so thankful that I joined Evade at such a young age and have followed the lifestyle of a martial artist, while most of the people of a similar age to me were drinking on the streets; potentially leading to gangs and violence, I was on the mat training and having fun; learning how to stand up and say no!


At Evade, we teach kids about drug defence and how to say no to peer pressure, we give them a voice! I will be forever grateful for this and every child should have the chance that I had to get on the right path of life. 


Alex Morton

Evade Game Day - What a Success!

On Saturday 25th February 2012, the first Evade Game Day was launched as part of Evade's Brand New Character Development Program.

All I can says is... it was fantastic! So much energy, and such a great atmosphere. This is the kind of reward that children should be able to have for working hard at home and school, and because of the excitement and the fun, it works so well! So many parents have been coming up to me and telling me the improvements in their child, and it makes you feel great! I'm positive that the kids will be working so hard over the next two months in order to get to the next Game Day. 

Top Tip: The secret is to make sure that your child understands they are not behaving well to please you; instead, you are helping them earns points so they can make it to game day. They will respond much more powerfully if you work with them rather than against them. 


If you are the kind of parent who wants their child to be successful in life, click the link: http://www.evadeblackbeltschool.com/join-evade/ or email Alex@evadeblackbeltschool.com.