Self-Defense, very important

When I told Ben that I would be going out of town next weekend, alone, he became very worried.  He hugged me tightly and asked me to not go.  I asked him why and he indicated that he was worried for my safety.  I told him that I would be fine, and observed that he never gets so worried when James goes out of town.  He said, "But you're not tough!"
"Mommy's tougher than you think she is, and I will be just fine." I replied.
"Ya, but if some big, mean guys start bullying you, you can't just noogie them to death!" he said.

He has a point, you know.  That's why I have added to my self-defense repertoire armpit-tickling, belly-zerbitzing, bum-goosing, and rib-counting.  For all you mom's out there, self-defense starts in the home, and I prefer to practice all these maneuvers regularly on my children.  You never know when you'll need them to fight off the big, mean bullies of the world!