They also should discuss what children see in the media and limit their children's exposure to the media. The AAP recommends that parents should limit children's TV viewing to one or two hours per day. Gun violence is a symptom of a larger problem in our society. The real issue is how to raise an emotionally healthy child. Children are learning to use violence to deal with anger and conflict by observing it through the media, in their communities and in their homes.
Schools have the obligation to teach children how to deal with anger and conflict.
Media literacy and conflict management should be part of any health education curriculum. Pediatricians and schools need to work together to identify children at risk. Once the children are identified, the schools need the resources to respond to these children's needs. If services such as counseling are not available in the schools, then these services need to be readily accessible in the community. We have seen the red flags that signal there is a problem with a child.