When a child harms another child, the focus should not be directed solely at the child, but also at the adults who are responsible for the child’s upbringing and the environment in which the child grows up.
Violent and aggressive behavior among children is increasingly a topic of public debate. These incidents are shared on social media, and violent and aggressive behavior among children is becoming more and more visible. We share a collective responsibility for our children in society. Such violent and aggressive behavior among children is unacceptable. Adults must serve as role models, and by guiding children, they must continue to implement measures that prevent this behavior.
When a child hits, threatens, or bullies others, it is crucial to explain the consequences and talk with the child. In early intervention, it is precisely this close dialogue and guidance that makes all the difference. An important and natural part of parenting is teaching children good behavior. Violence and severe bullying must never be accepted.
Children do not develop on their own; they are shaped by the adults around them, by the communities in which they grow up, and by the values they encounter in their daily lives. It is therefore unreasonable to place all the blame on the child when one child harms another.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that all children have the right to protection from violence and the right to care that supports their development. This also applies to children who exhibit behavior that harms others. Violence, bullying, and humiliation must be stopped, and clear boundaries must be set. But children still deserve adults who take responsibility and provide them with basic guidance on proper behavior.
MIO has repeatedly highlighted children’s rights and the responsibility of adults to ensure that children grow up in a safe environment. Among other things, MIO emphasizes that children have the right to protection, care, and to be heard.
The posts and videos that are shared from time to time on social media show only a moment in time and not the full story of a child who is being abused or of the child who is perpetrating the violence. They do not reveal which adults were present with the children before, during, and after the incident.
If we want to protect children, we must remember that they did not choose the circumstances in which they are growing up. The responsibility lies with the adults. Parents, relatives, professionals, and society as a whole must guide children and engage in dialogue with them—we cannot shirk that responsibility. Together, we must prevent violence and find a way to ensure a safe upbringing for our children—they need us.
