A history of violent victimization A history of early aggressive behavior Low IQ Poor behavioral control Involvement with drugs or alcohol Exposure to violence and conflict within the family
Evaluating problems: When a problem occurs, help your child to identify it and think about ways it could be solved. Role-modeling good problem-solving: Openly discuss strategies with your child. For example, if your child brings home a bad grade, don’t rush to punish them. Instead, talk with them about how you can work together to bring up the grade. Allowing for natural consequences: Rather than always preventing negative consequences from affecting your kids, children will learn more if they experience the true consequences for their actions. For instance, if a teenager spends all of their money on the first thing they desire (and you refuse to give them more), they will learn the effect of blowing their money without thinking.
Whenever you discuss violence with children, you should be as honest as possible without disclosing graphic details. You should always emphasize that violence is not the answer.
Highly authoritarian child-rearing attitudes Lax, harsh, or very inconsistent boundaries and disciplinary practices Low educational and income levels of parents Parental substance abuse and criminality
Expression: Many people use violence to express feelings of anger or frustration. Manipulation: Violence is often used to control others. Retaliation: Violence comes into play when someone wants to retaliate against someone who has hurt them, or to seek some kind of revenge.
Engaging in risky activity, such as recreational drugs, tobacco, sex, alcohol. Harboring a destructive mood; hurting animals, destroying property and/or making threats or bullying. Obsessing on suicide and death; showing interest for weapons or violence in writing, drawing or conversations Any of these may also be signs of anxiety, depression, or another mental health issue. If you notice several of these signs, it is likely best for that young person to get some help.
Calmness: No matter what, attempt to remain calm and clear-headed. Cover: Seek something to hide behind or under to decrease your chances of being injured Common sense and instincts: Move away from the shooter, windows, and doors. Use your common sense and instincts to stay safe. Creativity: Try thinking of something that hasn’t been done before, such putting soap on the floor to trip the assailant. Cellphone or landline phone: Get to a phone and call Emergency Services.
