Law enforcement agents, especially those with behavioral science backgrounds, are better equipped for assessing the reality of danger than mental health professionals. On the home front, Burke says that parents, while respecting their children's privacy, should know who they're spending time with and where they're going. Be aware of what they're reading, what sites they're choosing on the Internet and what games they're playing. Likewise, VCRs and video game equipment can be in a family room. Parents who worry about their child's interest in violent movies and games should realize, says Burke, that these may or may not be a warning.
All kids are curious and prone to experimentation.
But if you see that your child is always interested in intense violence, you should try to figure out why and determine whether there are other warning signs. The presence of weapons or ammunition or the smell of gunpowder are certainly signs that shouldn't be ignored. Adults get so caught up in their own work and responsibilities, sometimes they forget to listen to their kids, says Burke. Problems that we see as minor may not be at all minor to them. Parents who don't feel comfortable having conversations with their own children can practice by talking to other children, he suggests.