Early Violence Prevention

Raising children to be healthy, considerate, nonviolent adults is the hope of every parent and the core of early violence prevention. Nearly a half century of psychological research has shown that violence is a learned behavior, which is often learned when a child is very young. But young children can be taught nonviolence, just as well, from the best teachers they have, the parents and other adults who are around them. They can learn constructive ways to solve problems, deal with frustration, and handle anger. Children who learn these skills early in life are far less likely to grow up to be violent, or to be victims of violence.

But how do they learn? Young children learn how to behave by watching the people around them—especially those closest to them. How you as a parent or teacher act in difficult situations, work out problems with other people, and control your own anger when aroused are all lessons for the watching child. You are teaching your child, by example, how to get along in the world.

So, where do you start? Establishing a warm, safe, and secure environment for the child is always the first step. Protecting children from exposure to violence in the environment, whether on television or in the neighborhood, is important for a child to feel safe. Teaching children violence prevention skills depends on their age and development, physically and psychologically. So, it is helpful for parents to understand what to expect of their child at different stages of their development. For younger children, teaching by example can be effective; later on, when a child begins to understand the consequences of actions, around age 5, parents can begin to add reasoned and appropriate rewards and discipline to encourage good behavior.