Stop Violence workbook 1 - Unesco

We Can Stop Violence
Chapter 6
Talking to Your Children About Violence
Key Objectives
After finishing this chapter you should be able to:
1. Discuss why good parenting is important
2. List at least three ways to teach a child confidence
3. Give at least two reasons why discussing violence with a child is important
4. Give three examples of setting limits to your child in a non-abusive way
Keisha talks with her Mother
‘Mummy, Miss Thomas talked to us about violence today,’ says Keisha
‘Did she?’ asked Myrtle, her mother ‘I would love to hear what she said.’
‘She said that violence has a cycle,’ said Keisha ‘She says that people who are
physically abused as children also tend to physically abuse their own children.’
‘Yes, but remember that it is not always so,’ said Myrtle ‘For example, I was beaten
quite a bit when I was a child but I don’t beat you up or anything like that.’
‘You are a wonderful mother,’ said Keisha ‘Even though you can get miserable
sometimes. But I have never heard you call me stupid, or I’ll never make it or any of
the other things I hear parents tell their children sometimes.’
‘Thanks,’ says Myrtle ‘I don’t want you to believe any of those things about yourself. I
want you to head on in life and have a good one.’
‘Miss says all violence is wrong,’ says Keisha ‘We must not kick the cat, that is an
animal that has feelings. We must be aware of what is going around us. All of us want
to live in peace. That is what it means to be civilized. We must all set an example.
Children learn what they see.’
‘All parents must learn how to deal with their own frustrations instead of taking them
out on children,’ says Myrtle ‘Sometimes you say something to a child or a friend and
when they are ninety they have not forgotten it. We must all learn how to respond
when we are annoyed. Did you teacher teach you that?’
‘Yes she did,’ said Keisha ‘I took notes. Would you like to read them?’
‘And I would also like to discuss them with you,’ said Myrtle.
Discussion
Discuss why this conversation between mother and daughter was helpful to both of them.
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