Post: Use This Sunday to Talk to Your Kids About Healthy Relationships
Use This Sunday to Talk to Your Kids About Healthy Relationships
For years now, there have been reports that domestic violence increases on football Sundays, the assumption being that men watching the full contact sport respond aggressively. However, these claims have never been substantiated. A limited study conducted by the Southern California Injury Prevention Research Center at UCLA's School of Public Health found that football Sundays in general are not significantly associated with increased domestic violence dispatch calls.
But, really, the point is that spousal and intimate partner abuse is wrong whether it happens on football Sunday or any other day of the year. It’s up to parents to talk to their kids about the seriousness of violence against girls and the importance of respectful, non-violent relationships.
As parents watch Super Bowl XL with their kids this weekend, why not seize the opportunity to open up a conversation about healthy relationships? You're going to be spending lots of time with them -- and sports actually provide a great model for opening up this sensitive topic.
Draw a comparison between the qualities of a winning team, such as integrity, perseverance, discipline, teamwork, and respect, with the same qualities that foster a successful and healthy relationship. Ensure your kids know that the aggressiveness, violence, and even intimidation used on the field are no way to solve problems in the real world.
Talking to your kids about such tough stuff isn’t always easy, but remember, putting it off is not going to make it any easier. Be candid, be honest, and listen to your kids. By teaching them that violence never equals strength or manliness, and that young women deserve to be treated with honor and respect, you will help them draw these important distinctions between games and life.
For more ideas from the Family Violence Prevention Fund - visit www.endabuse.org
There are 1 replies to this post
Date: February 4, 2006
If there is a correlation, we should also look at the increase in alcohol consumption that occurs on Super Bowl Sundays. If people do in fact drink more, that is most likely the contributing factor to any increases in domestic violence.