Violence in Children

Babyment

Violence In Children

Violent behavior in children is something that should be taken seriously by parents. It may not simply a phase of life that the children are passing through. In fact, these violent tendencies may stick with these children throughout their childhood and potentially extend into adulthood as well.

Potential warning signs for violent behavior displayed by children.

1. Explosive temper, quick to anger despite minimal provoking.
2. Easily frustrated
3. Being extremely rash
4. Hatred of animals and a willingness to hurt/maim them

Parents and teachers alike should cooperate to inform each other when their children are displaying violent behavior and tendencies such that they could have an accurate assessment of just how frequently are their children having violent outbreaks.

Factors that increase likelihood of violent behavior in children

1. Excessive exposure to violence at home/community or in the school
2. Brain damage from head injuries such as concussions
3. Being the victim of domestic physical abuse or bullying at school
4. Genetic conditions or disorders. Usually a result of hereditary diseases or disorders.

If possible, family members and the school should pay close attention to their children's lives in order to eliminate any of the abovementioned factors from the children’s lives.

How to deal with violent children

1. Monitor media in household. Restricting your children’s access to media that portrays violence in a glorifying manner sends the message to the family that violence is not acceptable and that is actively frowned on in the household. Parents could hide or outright discard forms of media that glamourizes violence such as films, video games and tv shows. Also, limit your child’s access to mature-rated content by preventing them from acquiring their parents’ credit cards. Online shopping is usually not regulated but irresponsible shop owners of physical outlets may sell mature or adult rated content to children out of their desire to earn money despite knowing that it is illegal to sell adult content to underage kids.
2. Be a role model. If the child’s parents are constantly fighting and hurting each other physically and mentally in order to get what you want, their children may recognize that violence could be utilized as a tool for them to get what they want too.
3. Teaching them problem-solving skills. Children may be unaware of how to deal with their newfound anger, frustrations or disappointment appropriately. As such, they may vent their frustrations through utilizing physical violence on inanimate or animate objects alike. They would often succeed as their threats of violence would often be met with a parent’s submissiveness to their demands. This would then require parents to bring their children to attend anger management programmes that would provide them with the skills that they would need to control their temper and control the situation.
4. Lastly, if all else is lost and your child is being incredibly unreasonable and even attacking the parents, calling the police could be a viable option. Spending time rehabilating at behavioral management settings or boys’ towns could work wonders. Bear in mind that the law is significantly more tolerant of young offenders and thus approaching the police earlier would not lead to consequences that are as dire when the children’s violent tendencies worsen in the future and become out of control in adulthood.