Stranger Danger and Safety Tips for Highland Village Kids

Living in Highland Village and Flower Mound often feels like living in a “safety bubble.” With low crime rates and friendly neighbors, it is easy for children (and parents) to become complacent. Children often ride their bikes to Unity Park or walk to The Shops at Highland Village with a sense of invincibility.

Gracie Barra Highland Village approaches “Stranger Danger” with a reality-based mindset. The curriculum moves beyond the outdated “don’t talk to strangers” rule—which confuses kids because they talk to strangers every day (cashiers, new teachers)—and focuses on identifying “Tricky People” and mastering Anti-Abduction techniques.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the safety protocols and skills taught to local children.

1. Redefining the Threat: “Adults Don’t Ask Kids for Help”

Predators rarely look like “monsters.” They often look like nice, normal adults.

 The Rule: The academy teaches a hard-and-fast rule: “An adult will never ask a child for help. If they do, they are a Tricky Person.”

 The Scenarios: Instructors role-play specific tricks to inoculate the children against them:

 The “Lost Puppy”: “Can you help me find my dog in the woods?”

 The “Broken Arm”: “Can you help me carry these heavy boxes to my car?”

 The Response: Children are trained to say “NO!” loudly and back away immediately, rather than being polite.

2. The “Safe Distance” Protocol (The Green Zone)

In Jiu-Jitsu, distance is life.

 The Car Rule: If a car pulls over to ask a question, the child is taught never to approach the window. They must stay two arm-lengths away (out of grabbing range).

 The “Reverse Run”: If a car starts following them, children are taught to run in the opposite direction the car is facing.

 Why: It forces the vehicle to execute a three-point turn to follow, buying the child precious seconds to reach a house or store.

3. Physical Defense: The “Wrist Break”

The most common way an abductor initiates contact is by grabbing a child’s wrist to drag them.

 The Instinct: A child’s natural instinct is to pull away (straight back). This is wrong because the adult is stronger and will win the tug-of-war.

 The BJJ Technique: Students learn the “Thumb Release.”

 They step toward the attacker (to create leverage).

 They rotate their wrist and pull against the attacker’s thumb (the weakest part of the grip).

 This leverages mechanics over muscle, allowing a 60lb child to break the grip of a 200lb adult.

4. “Velcro” Defense (Anti-Pick Up)

If an attacker tries to physically pick a child up to put them in a vehicle.

 The “Heavy” Principle: In BJJ, we teach how to make the body “heavy” by dropping the hips and center of gravity.

 The Anchor: Children are taught to “Velcro” themselves to anything nearby—a bike rack, a tree, or even the attacker’s own leg.

 The Logic: It is very difficult to carry a child who is dead-weighting and holding onto a street sign. This delay draws attention and exhausts the attacker.

5. Verbal Weaponry: “I Don’t Know You!”

A screaming child in a grocery store usually signals a tantrum, so bystanders often ignore it.

 The Training: Gracie Barra teaches kids to yell specific phrases that trigger alarm bells for bystanders.

 “THIS IS NOT MY DAD!”

 “I DON’T KNOW YOU!”

 “HELP! POLICE!”

 The “Get Crazy” Rule: Children are generally taught to be quiet and polite. In a safety scenario, they are given permission to “Get Crazy”—to scratch, bite, scream, and knock things off store shelves to create a scene.

6. The “Family Password” System

This is a logistical tip the academy encourages parents to implement immediately.

 The Scenario: A stranger approaches the child at Heritage Elementary pickup and says, “Your mom is in the hospital. She sent me to pick you up.”

 The Defense: The child asks: “What is the password?”

 The Rule: If the adult does not know the secret family word (e.g., “Pineapple” or “Bluey”), the child runs to the nearest teacher immediately.

7. Differentiating School vs. Street

A crucial part of the curriculum is distinguishing between a School Bully and a Street Predator.

 Bully: We use control (holding them down). We do not want to hurt them.

 Predator: We use everything. We scratch eyes, kick, and bite. The goal is escape, not control. The safety of the child depends on knowing when to switch from “Gentle Art” to “Survival Mode.”

🥋 Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu Highland Village: A Comprehensive Profile

Gracie Barra Highland Village is a top-tier martial arts academy located in Highland Village, Texas, serving the communities of Highland Village, Flower Mound, Lewisville, and Lantana. As an official franchise of Gracie Barra (GB)—one of the largest and most respected Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) organizations in the world—this academy adheres to high standards of instruction, safety, and curriculum.

Here is a detailed breakdown of everything you can expect from this specific academy.

1. Philosophy and Mission

The academy operates under the global Gracie Barra motto: “Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone.”

This means the school is not an intimidating “fight club” for professional cage fighters. Instead, it is an educational center designed to make BJJ accessible to toddlers, teenagers, working professionals, and seniors alike. The goal is personal development through martial arts, focusing on:

 Self-Defense: Real-world protection.

 Wellness: Physical fitness and mental health.

 Community: Building a positive social environment.

2. Program Structure

Gracie Barra Highland Village utilizes a standardized, week-by-week curriculum. This means a student knows exactly what they are learning, and if they visit another GB school, the instruction remains consistent.

1. Future Champions (Kids Program)

This is a cornerstone of the Highland Village location, given the family-oriented demographics of the area.

 Little Champions I (Ages 3–6): Focuses on “mat awareness,” coordination, following instructions, and basic body movements. It is heavily game-based to keep toddlers engaged.

 Little Champions II (Ages 7–9): Introduces technical Jiu-Jitsu. Students learn escapes, controls, and the Gracie Barra Anti-Bullying system (verbal de-escalation and non-violent control).

 Juniors & Teens (Ages 10–14): A more mature curriculum that prepares students for the adult program. It focuses on fitness, discipline, and complex problem-solving.

1. GB Adult Program

The adult curriculum is split into tiers to ensure safety and proper progression.

 GB1: Fundamentals (White Belts): The entry-level program. It focuses on self-defense, safety, and the core principles of BJJ (base, posture, leverage). There is usually no full-contact sparring (rolling) in the first few weeks to prioritize safety.

 GB2: Advanced (Blue Belt & Up): Once the basics are mastered, students move to GB2. This class involves more complex techniques, combinations, and live sparring (“rolling”).

 GB3: Black Belt Program: Designed for advanced practitioners to refine their style, flow, and transitions.

1. Private Training

For students who want to accelerate their learning or work on specific weaknesses, the professors at Highland Village offer one-on-one private lessons.

3. The Class Experience

A typical 60-minute class at GB Highland Village follows a rigid structure:

1. Line Up: Students line up by rank (belt color) and bow in to show respect.
2. Warm-up: 10–15 minutes of calisthenics and BJJ-specific drills (shrimping, breakfalls).
3. Technique: The Professor demonstrates a technique (e.g., an escape from the mount) and explains the leverage points.
4. Partner Drills: Students pair up to practice the move.
5. Specific Training | Rolling:

 Beginners: Positional training (starting from a specific spot and resetting).

 Advanced: Free sparring.

6. Bow Out: Class ends with a formal dismissal and handshake line.

4. Facility and Standards

Gracie Barra Highland Village maintains the “Premium School” standards required by the franchise.

 Hygiene: The mats are sanitized professionally every day. Personal hygiene (clean Gi, trimmed nails) is strictly enforced.

 Uniforms: Students are required to wear the official Gracie Barra Uniform (Gi). This fosters a sense of equality and team unity—on the mats, a CEO and a student are equals.

 Atmosphere: The facility is designed to be bright, clean, and welcoming to families. It typically includes a lobby for parents to watch their children train.

5. Instructors and Lineage

The instructors (Professors and Coaches) at GB Highland Village are certified through the Gracie Barra ICP (Instructor Certification Program).

 This ensures they are not just good fighters, but trained teachers who know how to handle safety, first aid, and pedagogy.

 The Texas region of Gracie Barra is historically very strong, influenced heavily by high-level Brazilian professors who settled in the Dallas/Houston areas. The instruction at Highland Village reflects this high-level lineage.

6. Benefits for Highland Village Residents

 Community Connection: It serves as a “third place” (outside of home and work/school) for residents of Highland Village and Flower Mound to socialize.

 Bully Prevention: For local school-aged children, the program provides confidence and tools to handle social and physical aggression.

 Stress Relief: For working adults, the intense focus required in BJJ acts as a form of “moving meditation,” clearing the mind of work stress.

7. Getting Started

The enrollment process at Gracie Barra Highland Village is standardized:

1. Free Introductory Class: New students are almost always offered a free trial class to experience the culture.
2. Introduction: You will likely meet with a Program Director who will give you a tour, explain the schedule, and discuss membership goals.
3. The “Red Shield”: Upon signing up, you receive your uniform and are welcomed into the team.

Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu Highland Village is a structured, safe, and family-centric martial arts academy. It combines the rigorous physical training of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with a supportive community atmosphere, making it a popular choice for families in the Denton County area.

Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu Highland Village

Informations

ADDRESS

200 Marketplace Ln, Suite 205, Highland Village, TX, United States, Texas

PHONE

+1 (972) 439-7411

Stranger Danger and Safety Tips for Highland Village Kids