Dear friends,

Maybe this subject has been treated already.
I throw it up because in the city where I live there is as in many other cities world-wide a steady growing agressivity among children and youngsters. Professionally, people in schools aks me how to deal with this issue.
I have read and I am convinced that meditation/prayer can help a lot, but maybe someone can help me in giving further suggestions as to this subject.

Greetings in Christ,
Fred

Freddy, I truly believe sugar and most processed foods play a major part in children's behavior these days.

Katy

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I think there is good reason to be extremely concerned with the amount of aggression a lot of children are exposed to. But I think the "home ground" often merits examination first.

I have seen far too many examples of couples not being wise enough to remove their most vociferous disputes to hours when they can talk without a young, involuntary audience.

Far too many children, too, are used as "weapons" for one party (all-too-often the woman) to "get back at" their ex. Unfortunately, that sort of thorough teaching makes an impact for life!

Child aggression has a source -- and many fail to realize this until far too late, if at all.

Prayer and meditation is fine, but it is no substitute for acting with wisdom.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: HeartPrayer,

Aggression in children is primarily caused by their experiencing aggression in their environment. Physical abuse, including harsh discipline and witnessing violence of any kind is a strong predictor of violence in children. We now know that violence on TV/video games will also stimulate violent behavior on top of whatever character problems already exist.

Even non-violent parents who do not set good boundaries to help children contain and redirect their angry impulses can to produce aggression. It's a huge, systemic problem. One of my colleagues, a psychotherapist, believes that satan's most effective strategy for destroying lives is to attack parents of young children. This is where parents are often most vulnerable and children are most malleable. Sad, very sad...prayers are needed indeed.

More thoughts on child aggression
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Katy & Shasha,

Many worthwhile thoughts!

From what I have read and been told, the sugars, artificial sweetener, and the various additives and sundry preservatives added to processed food, are responsible for wreaking havoc on the biochemistry and behaviour of children.

The violence in even "ordinary" children’s TV programs is pervasive. Even though much of it may at first glance seem harmless, I am not reassured that it is. The same goes for video games.

For most kids, these probably do not stimulate violence. But as I understand it they do trigger and stimulate violent tendencies in a minority that is already having problems.

A lot of kids grow up without healthy role models. So where to find them? Why, in movies and TV programs, of course! That is an unnerving reality.

I think another huge issue is our instant gratification culture. And many children have their weekly schedule "overplanned", often by parents who have the best of intentions.

Personally I believe that one thing lacking for many children, is the time of healthy boredom that leads to creativity.

Developing true creativity is essential to discovering identity, and becoming firmly rooted in a healthy sense of self. What is learned from American Idol and the like (we have the same) is the art of imitation -- and that is a surrogate which is poorly equipped to nurture.
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