Dear Representative,

We would like to see anger management, coping mechanisms and conflict resolution skills taught at age appropriate levels to American school children at approximately two year intervals throughout their education, from kindergarten right on through high school.

Specifically, we want kids taught how to manage feelings when they are upset so that they can learn and practice nonviolent, constructive ways of expression or release without harming themselves or anyone around them.

We also want kids to learn age-appropriate skills that they can apply in their relationships with other people, so that they can diffuse peer pressure, bullying, threats of violence, and other problems they may face without resorting to dangerous behaviors or allowing anyone else to mistreat them.   

The positive effects of doing this will be felt in many ways. 

Teaching kids how to avoid lashing out physically or verbally will have a profound effect on the rates of later life violence and maltreatment toward spouses, children and others.   In this way, we can shape 'safe' parents and role models for future generations.   We can also break patterns of violence passed down in families by helping kids master better releases for anger than inflicting pain.

Teaching our kids healthy coping mechanisms and problem solving skills will also discourage them from engaging in the self destructive behaviors that today's parents are so fearful of, including but not limited to eating disorders, cutting, smoking, drugs, depression, suicidal tendencies and other frightening concerns facing our youth.  Kids would already have healthier releases ahead of these dangers.

Please help in any way that you can to have these strategies taught to young people as part of their public education program, at intervals and levels that consider age.  

There are no lack of excellent counselors who would love to help in forming lesson plans for kids at each grade level.   There are no lack of nonviolent teachers who would love to help introduce these social health skills into classrooms too.   Let's make our vision of a safer America a reality for our children.

Thank you.

Kind regards,

[Your name here]