Write an article based on this "Become aware of individual risk factors. Provide encouragement and praise. Strengthen problem-solving skills. Offer support. Implement educational programs. Check your language."
There are certain risk factors that may increase the likelihood of a young person becoming violent. By becoming aware of these risk factors, you can better recognize when a young person needs additional support, guidance, or therapy to prevent violent outcomes. These factors include: A history of violent victimization A history of early aggressive behavior Low IQ Poor behavioral control Involvement with drugs or alcohol Exposure to violence and conflict within the family Rather than focusing on discipline, punishment, and negative reinforcement, put your efforts toward the positive. Praise good behavior, encourage individual growth, and work towards emphasizing positive attitudes. When you foster strong problem-solving skills, you give children the skills to handle all sorts of situations. By helping kids evaluate and identify problems (and brainstorm solutions), role-modeling good problem-solving behavior, and allowing for natural consequences you can encourage and strengthen problem-solving skills. Evaluating problems: When a problem occurs, help your child to identify it and think about ways it could be solved. Role-modeling good problem-solving: Openly discuss strategies with your child. For example, if your child brings home a bad grade, don't rush to punish them. Instead, talk with them about how you can work together to bring up the grade. Allowing for natural consequences: Rather than always preventing negative consequences from affecting your kids, children will learn more if they experience the true consequences for their actions. For instance, if a teenager spends all of their money on the first thing they desire (and you refuse to give them more), they will learn the effect of blowing their money without thinking. Allow students the space to work out problems and conflicts on their own, but also be available to offer support when needed. Offer support for conflict resolution at home, and make sure there are additional resources for character building, conflict resolution, and psychological support in schools. Troubled individuals often have a history of social problems, and identifying and helping them resolve these issues can prevent school violence. Educational programs that focus on self-esteem, self-control, and strategies for solving conflicts without violent action can provide a positive influence. Such programs have been proven extremely effective in encouraging empathy and decreasing instances of violent activity. Advocate for the implementation of such programs in your school. The way that you speak has a profound effect on your children or students. If they hear you using pejorative language about women, for example, they will internalize the idea that women are "less than." Check in with the way you speak about others, particularly marginalized groups, as well as your attitude toward violence. Whenever you discuss violence with children, you should be as honest as possible without disclosing graphic details. You should always emphasize that violence is not the answer.