How to Teach a Child About Pacifism

Instilling a strong sense of pacifism in a person takes years of education and development that begin at the earliest ages. Today's violence saturated culture and media makes teaching children about pacifism difficult but far from impossible. So, follow these steps to teach a child about pacifism.

Instructions

1. Teach the difference between pacifism and inaction. Many parents find that teaching pacifism is difficult because it teaches a child to be inactive or non-responsive to confrontations. Teaching a child about pacifism means to teach that non-violence is the preferred course of action and that not engaging in violence does not mean not holding others accountable for their actions. As you teach a child about pacifism make sure to focus on this distinction.

2. Use children's books. There are many excellent children's books that teach the values of pacifism in ways that a child can easily understand. Books like Karen English's "Hot Day on Abbott Avenue" or Beverly Naido's "Out of Bounds: Seven Stories of Conflict and Hope" are engaging books that teach pacifism. Look at the Jane Addams Peace Association's children's book awards for other recommendations.

3. Teach children about great historical figures. The great figures of history can cast an influential light on a child, even if the child does not fully understand the politics or history. The stories of Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and the Quaker leaders are good ways of informing a child about real life pacifism as it existed in the world.

4. Integrate pacifism into a curriculum. Getting the concepts of pacifism taught in school curricula is a very important way of teaching a child about pacifism. Since a child learns daily from his school environment, having alternative concepts like pacifism taught in schools is a very direct and strong method of teaching the child about pacifism.