The majority of children witness 100,000 acts of violence before they leave elementary school, according to a recent study.
Children are exposed to violence from myriad sources including movies and video games. The impact on children's minds hasn't been determined, but we might be seeing the results in teen violence on the streets and in the schools.
But when police were called to quell fights at four Anne Arundel County high schools during the 2006-2007 school year, the Anne Arundel County government, the county public schools and Anne Arundel Community College decided to collaborate to come up with creative solutions to help families and communities.
One such solution is public education, starting with parents. Youths' exposure to violence is everyone's concern - parents, teachers and government officials - but most experts agree that it is not an intractable problem. Parents are the first responders and absorb the responsibility of discerning right from wrong.
The amount of exposure to violence complicates parenting when we consider the multitude of other factors that influence our children's safety and development. Drug exposure often begins in elementary school. Teenage suicides have increased 8 percent over the previous year. The number of single parents has increased to 12.9 million. Postpartum episodes are estimated to affect 15 percent to 20 percent of mothers. These are astounding statistics.
Parents are not the only influence on the development of a child, but parental education can certainly provide a first step in preventing violence.
Targeted funding and support by Anne Arundel County has led to the expansion of the Parenting Center at Anne Arundel Community College and to the creation of two programs for parents of students in Anne Arundel County schools.
Beginning in February, the Parenting Adolescents for Success program will be offered in partnership with AACC's Parenting Center and Anne Arundel County Public Schools. This tuition-free program is intended to meet the needs of parents of middle school children. The course, designed by family life educators from the Parenting Center, will be taught in 10 instructional hours at six middle schools.
Over a three-year period, about 4,500 parents will benefit from the program, which will focus on understanding child development, managing child behavior, building effective parent-child communication and identifying destructive influences on family life. The program is seeking additional support from business partners.
In addition, the AACC Parenting Center and the college's Teacher Education and Child Care Institute have joined the county public schools to provide the Parents' Workshops-to-Go Program. This project, begun last fall, encompasses one two-hour tandem training session for parents and staff on such topics as "Communication with your Child's School"; "MegaSkills: Skills for Success in School and Beyond"; and "Schoolhouse and Cyberbullying: What Can a Parent Do?"
Studies of parents who complete parent training reveal that they are more confident about handling child behavior problems. Children of parents who have received parent training are more likely to become high achievers in school and to be more resistant to peer pressure.
The county and the community college recognize the important roles of parents in child development and are dedicated to building mechanisms for coping and success for the children of Anne Arundel County. We believe that the programs offered through the Parenting Center at AACC will provide the foundation needed to do so and are an example of how the community and its children can be helped when people combine their strengths to make a difference.
County Executive John R. Leopold
Anne Arundel Community College President Martha A. Smith