Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/understanding-and-responding-to-the-violence-in-childrens-lives/5010234/
When I work with groups of parents and teachers on issues of violence in children's lives, I begin by asking participants what kinds of issues they want to make sure we address. With each passing month, the list of topics grows longer, the violence mentioned is more widespread, and the examples become more extreme. Some recent issues raised include:_ "Should we talk to children about the mother who drowned her children? I know many of the children in my class heard about it."
_ "A child announced at our class meeting yesterday that her brother had been shot. I didn't know anything about it but have found out he was killed two years ago."
_ "My four year olds were on a field trip and started kicking and karate chopping cars and making real dents. They excitedly said they were Power Rangers."
Growing Up in Violent Times
As many of us are becoming all too aware, children growing up today encounter enormous amounts of violence. There is the violence most children see on entertainment media, like the Power Rangers show which averages over 200 acts of violence per hour. There is the violence that children, especially boys, bring ...