Stopping School Violence One Child At A Time
By Kim Olver. Posted on .
Children need to feel significant. They must have a sense of what makes them special, of what they have to offer others. In the US, we have a school system designed for some students to succeed and many others to fail. You have to do well in math and language (reading and writing) to succeed in school. We must learn to recognize and value the strengths other children possess.
Failing in school is indicative of many future problems coming from a lack of significance. If a child can't gain significance in a socially-acceptable way, he can surely go down in infamy in a school shooting or other anti-social act(s).
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Children also need to feel safe, have a reasonable degree of freedom based on the responsible behaviors they have to manage that freedom, and they need to have enjoyment in their lives. A lack of these three needs will not set the stage for the violence we saw in Sandy Hook but prolonged frustration to get these needs met may result in conditions the psychiatric community and pharmaceutical companies want to medicate.
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For those of you who are reeling in the aftermath of this tragic event and are looking for something to do, find a child who seems just a little shy or withdrawn, and take the time to connect and draw out their inner brilliance. We can stop the violence one child at a time.
