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2000 Volunteer Leader Training Guide
Recognize Early Warning Signs of Troubled Youth
Prevent Violence: Tips for Parents
Handout 3
Printer Friendly Version (PDF)
- Discuss the school’s discipline policy with your child. Show
your support for the rules, and help your child understand the
reasons for them.
- Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at
home.
- Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on
television, in video games and in the neighborhood. Help your child
understand the consequences of violence.
- Teach your child how to solve problems. Praise your child when
he or she follows through.
- Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve
verbally or physically hurting others. When you get angry, use it as
an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child,
and talk about it.
- Help your child understand the value of accepting individual
differences.
- Note any disturbing behaviors in your child. For example,
frequent angry outbursts, excessive fighting and bullying of other
children, cruelty to animals, fire setting, frequent behavior
problems at school and in the neighborhood, lack of friends and
alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems. Get help for
your child. Talk with a trusted professional in your child’s school
or in the community.
- Keep lines of communication open with your child, even when it
is tough. Encourage your child always to let you know where and with
whom he or she will be. Get to know your child’s friends.
- Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends
who may be exhibiting troubling behaviors.
- Share this information with a trusted professional, such as the
school psychologist, principal or teacher.
- Be involved in your child’s school life by supporting and
reviewing homework, talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending
school functions, such as parent conferences, class programs, open
houses and PTA meetings.
- Work with your child’s school to make it more responsive to all
students and to all families. Share your ideas about how the school
can encourage family involvement, welcome all families, and include
them in meaningful ways in their children's education.
- Encourage your school to offer before- and after-school
programs.
- Volunteer to work with school-based groups concerned with
violence prevention. If none exist, offer to form one.
- Find out if there is a violence prevention group in your
community. Offer to participate in the group’s activities.
- Talk with the parents of your child’s friends. Discuss how you
can form a team to ensure your child’s safety.
- Find out if your employer offers provisions for you to
participate in school activities.
Adapted from: Dwyer, K., Osher, D., and Warger, C. (1998).
Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools. Washington,
D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Education, and U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
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