FAQ: What is radKIDS?



What is radkids?
RadKIDS is a Personal Empowerment Safety Education Program created on the east coast and now providing professionally trained and nationally certified instructors right here in Tucson.
What is taught in radkids?
Besides its Self Defense component, the radKIDS program with its nationally recognized curriculum, helps empower children between the ages of 4 to 12 years old with the basic physical and mental skills needed to survive potential harmful situations that not only involve health and safety but also personal choices. These situations can range from dealing with a Bully at school pushing drugs to a predator attempting to trick and abduct your child. The radKIDS training program is realistic in nature, yet progressive in reinforcing the confidence needed to deal with above mentioned potential bad situations.
What topics are covered in radkids?
The radKIDS program, over the period of a training cycle, covers topics such as:
~ The proper use of 911 and how to relate information when in danger.
~ Home safety: strangers at the door, fire escape planning, accidental drug and gun encounters.
~ Outside safety: what to do if they get lost, drowning prevention and aggressive dog attacks.
~ Manipulative tricks used by bullies, gangs, bad strangers and predators.
~ Development of confidence, self respect and awareness of good, bad, and uncomfortable touch.
Does radkids teach physical techniques?
Besides the above educational topics, the radKIDS personal protection component also teaches hands on self defense techniques (kicks, knees, elbows, hammer strikes...) that they get a chance to practice often, on one of our padded up instructors.
Realistic Defense Drills are also implemented throughout the r.a.d. (Recognize Avoid Defend) KIDS program. Drills that are covered often include:
~Assertive behavior methods to use against Bullies
~Abduction Prevention and Escape Techniques
How is the radkids program run?
The training cycle for the radKIDS program is typically run in one of three ways:
1. The 8 hour full course is split into four 2 hour sessions, held as private training.
2. An 8 week session held for one hour a week at A camp at the University of Az.
3. Private small group training sessions available from May to August.
Do you provide one to one radkids personal (private) instruction....whats the cost?
Yes we do provide personal instruction. Generally this type of private instruction is given to children that have been bullied at school and prefer individual training before entering our group classes. The cost is $20 per hour for the one to one training at our location. Summer, our lead teacher, can be contacted to schedule training dates and times.
Why do the kids only train 8 hours in radkids?
Although this may "seem" as a short amount of training time.. children always leave the program with the foundations necessary to protect themselves from potential danger. Also, once the kids have graduated the "radKIDS 8 hour 'awareness-prevention' course", they are welcomed to come back for FREE until they are 13, to practice at anytime during any of our scheduled classes held at crossfit. Hence they can actually train beyond the 8 hours.....but its really up to the parents/guardians and kids to come in.
Can I bring my child to one class or the whole 8 hour program?
Its recommended to attend the full 8 hour 'awareness-prevention course', but you can come to one class to see to test it out. Keep in mind that all of the above topics are covered over the 8 hour training period (which is taught in 4 blocks of time for 2 hours) all dependent on the training cycle a parent selects. Our classes are also divided into the age ranges of pre-schoolers (3-4), young children (5-7), and kids/pre-teens... 8-12 years old.

Can I as a parent stay and watch/participate in radkids?
We always ask that a parent, guardian or care giver stay in the class with the child/ren during the days of training. Since we are not a baby-sitting facility you are encouraged to participate as well and show your support to your child's new endeavor.
What would be the cost, minimum/maximum number of kids and amount of sessions?
The normal fee, per child, for the whole 8 hour (4 day) course is $70 at our location. If kids/parents cant make the whole 8 hour session, privates can be scheduled at our location. Minimum 2, max 6.
Can we arrange for a custom session and location or would it only be at your midtown site?
Classes held at our facility would not incur a re-location fee. The whole 8 hour program is currently scheduled for summer sessions at the UA. We can also  provide a custom session at our location for a group of four or more children. This is all dependent on instructor and space availability. To have a class at your location (community room, neighborhood clubhouse, church, school cafeteria..etc) it prompts a re-location fee of $20 plus the above mentioned instructional fee.
Will my child/ren be frightened by any phase or discussion in the program?
No. In all of the years of training children and families we have had only one child be scared and that occured when the mom yelled at the little one for not running fast enough. We are there to support innocent children and to deal with immature parents such as the one mom that "yelled" at her child. Most of the kids participating initially, have demonstrated nervousness in the beginning but in the end... all leave smiling or giggling due to the fun they had. Most parents get a 'kick' out of the physical defense training that they can partake in during the program as well.
How is payment settled, what do I need to bring to the course....any other information?
Payment of cash or credit/debit card can be completed at the beginning of the first day of training. Parents/legal guardians will fill out the customary liability paperwork. Bring some snacks, a water bottle, a change of clothing, a light sweater and any medications that your child may need.
Who teaches radkids?
Sum and Bruce are professionally trained instructors assisting pro-active families in ensuring the overall well being of their children and their future. While not a martial art, radKIDS does provide instructors with extensive experience in various personal protection systems.
I heard that your training facility is 'gritty' and your instructors "too real".....hows that?
Our instructors been in the personal protection business for over 20 years. They each have experienced and escaped threating situations over their lives. Hence the violence they have been exposed to is the driving factor in teaching radKIDS. The scenarios they direct can seem "too real". Well Good!! Its better to be in this safe environment and feel that reality than to experience that stress out there alone, on the street. As for the gritty building...well, we run our group radKIDS program out of a Crossfit Training facility. The building is in a unique area and displays its hardiness with style. If you want 'pretty' then join us at our summer session at the University. As we tell our radKIDS..."its not what a person looks like, but what they do". In context, we educate children on how fear, panic, violence, and aggression can impede or ensure their survival during dangerous situations. Enlightened parents understand the importance of this disclosure and know that coddling or sheltering their little ones, can be an obstacle to their child's personal development and empowerment.

How do I sign up my child and what is the cost?
Please call us during office hours or email our team to reserve a spot in the next 8 hour session or UA summer course. Please understand that all children signing up for this program must be well behaved and focused.  

Parents, please register your child/ren (ages 5-8) soon, since space is limited to less than 10 children per session. These small group classes are designed to provide more personal instruction and attention to each child attending.

Parental support and discipline is extremely important as well. Payments of cash or check ($20-$70) can be settled at the class location on the day of the training.

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Whats the story and drive behind radkids?
Created by Massachusetts Police Officer Steve Daley in 1998, radKIDS, Inc. has been committed to providing education that enhances the ability of children and parents to utilize knowledge, skills, and power to protect themselves from violence and harm.

Complementing the womens R.A.D. (resisting agression defensively) program... radKIDS strengthens family, encourages physical fitness, and teaches core safety values to live by through its program. Fun, activity-based programs include lecture, safety drills, muscle memory exercises and dynamic simulation.

radKIDS community based programs have been offered as after school programs, day camps, recreation programs, as well as through scouting and religious youth groups.

Statistics prove its effectiveness:~Over 125,000 children have been trained in the radKIDS personal Empowerment Safety education program. More than 2500 community based instructors have been trained in over 45 states and Canada.~ More than 59 children threatened with abduction used their skills and returned safely to their families.~Hundreds of children spoke up and got the help they needed to stop the abuse.

Through the radKIDS training, children become empowered and learn to replace the fear, confusion, and panic of dangerous situations with confidence, personal safety skills, and higher self-esteem.