As a Family || In Your School or Community || As an Activist
Help spread Lion & Lamb's Message

As a Family

• Take time to talk with your children about your family's values regarding violence. If you don't believe that violence is a good way to solve problems, tell your children why and teach them alternative forms of conflict resolution.

• Take inventory of your children's toy chests, and determine together whether they have been transformed into "war chests."

• If you decide your children have too many toys that glorify and promote violence, talk to them about the values these toys promote. Ask your children to help you set new rules for selecting appropriate toys, using the guidelines in Violent Toys, Nonviolent Toys: What's the Difference?

• With your children's help, you might consider putting away one violent toy a week, until none remain. This allows your children some control over the process and creates a gradual transition. (The Parent Action Kit has additional suggestions to guide you in this change process.)

• Plug in the "P" (parent) chip: Take charge of your television, and set strict guidelines regarding the amount and types of television programs your children may watch in order to reduce their exposure to violent programming.

• Be a role model. Show your children every day, through both words and actions, that there are ways to resolve conflicts without resorting to physical force. Teaching children how to deal constructively with conflict -- be it with a friend, a sibling, a classmate, or a parent -- can be one of the greatest gifts you will ever give them.

• Read stories with your children that demonstrate different ways to resolve conflicts. There are many books that can help children learn problem-solving skills. Consult your librarian, or check the bibliography in the Parent Action Kit.