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parents do a better job of producing better, less aggressive children.
Training to reduce violence in the world is available here:
The American Psychological Association and the National Association
for the Education of Young Children have joined together to offer a
training program called “ACT against violence.” ACT stands for Adults
and Children Together Against Violence Program. ACT believes training
is very important because violence can be prevented if it is started
early. The training is designed to teach adults that violence is mostly
learned and primarily at an early age. Adults are encouraged to pay
attention to what they say and do in front of the children, becoming
nonviolent models. Considerate, fair, and non-aggressive methods of
discipline are taught. Children are shown how to solve problems using
words and reason, not actual or implied threats. Adults learn the
importance of monitoring their children’s TV and games so violence
can be avoided.
The APA Website, booklets, and workshops are available to interested
adults—they learn child development, the consequences of being
exposed to violence, and coping skills, such as anger management,
problem solving, positive discipline, etc. Training is provided in several
ways to enable adults and communities to protect children from
It would be difficult to find a more important goal than to reduce the
anger and aggression in the world. But it is a very ambitious
undertaking. Such a task would have to involve most of the children
and parents in the world. The training would require several hours and
needs to be repeated periodically. Follow up consultation would be
needed in families where the results were not good. Careful evaluation
of the training methods would also be necessary. And on…and on.
So much needs to be done. We have little idea of why groups dislike
and struggle violently with each other (Eidelson, R. J. & Eidelson, J. I.,
2003). We know so little about why people become criminals. We don’t
know how to teach people to live by a moral code and how to be good
to each other (See Chapter 3). We know so little about rehabilitating
people who have been inconsiderate and mean to others.
Some intelligent people have hope:
“Evidence from around the world suggests that violence can be
prevented by a variety of measures aimed at individuals, families and
communities.”
Dr. Etienne Krug, Director, Department of Injuries and Violence
Prevention, in the World Health Organization Report.
Let’s get on with it.
