Beyond a Parent's Control Parents have no control over some genetic factors that have been linked to violent behavior. And sometimes the best efforts simply fail to find the right parenting formula for a particular kid. Kids have a mind of their own. And also they are influenced by the outside world and by their friends. Obviously nothing ever happens for any one reason.
Analysts identify several factors often present in a violent kid.
Any one of them might push him or her over the edge. These factors, they say, include the violence in movies and video games that kids can become obsessed with. Clearly parents have a unique responsibility to look for these and other signs of trouble. But psychologists warn against making parents the scapegoats. When parents can show they've really tried, the new parent-responsibility laws recognize it.