Raising Children In A Violent World

512 Words3 Pages
RAISING OUR CHILDREN IN A VIOLENT WORLD Unfortunately, there will be obstacles that will interfere in how we raise our children, what they learn and how they will behave. Although we think that children are not aware of violence, they almost always see and hear more than we think they do. It is essential to listen carefully to children’s worries and let them know as adults, parents and educators that we promise to keep them safe. I was raised in the projects of New York City. I saw crimes committed, drug selling and violence. However, because of the manner in which my parents raised me I didn’t travel that path and was able to steer away from the negativity that I was exposed to for 23 years of my life while living there. When I was 12 years old, three black kids stole my bicycle at knife point. I became so scared of black people. I had not told my parents what happened but one day my Father noticed that there was something wrong when I was walking down the street with him and asked him if we could cross the street because I saw a couple of black kids walking towards us on that same street. My Father told me that there was nothing to be scared of; that they were just like me and him, except they had a different skin color. My father also enrolled me in a predominantly black Catholic High School in Harlem (Rice H.S.) so that I could overcome my fear. In any case, there are things that as a parent you can do to help your children understand and to help cope with certain situations when they witness violence. You may ask them how their day went, what they learned in school that day and what they saw while walking home from school. That is one way to find out what they are experiencing and it will give them the confidence they need to tell you things. It is essential to speak to your children. It is also important to help them understand what to expect. Parents should
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