Peacebuilding in a child's mind

A child until 12 years of age is either at home, in neighborhood or at elementary school, where they build values through a combination of schooling, social interactions, and experiential learning. Social interactions at home and schools with parents, peers, teachers, and other influential adults further shape a child's understanding of these values, as children learn to navigate relationships and understand the impact of their actions on others. Stories, games, and educational programs also contribute by presenting scenarios where values are illustrated and tested, helping children to grasp abstract concepts in a concrete way. Through these varied and interwoven experiences, children gradually develop a personal set of values that guide their behavior and decision-making.

It does not seem to be a difficult task as we generally perceive it. Building peace in a child's mind may involve creating a nurturing environment where emotional well-being and empathy are prioritized. Parents and teachers can model calm and compassionate behavior, teach emotional regulation through techniques like mindfulness and deep breathing, and promote positive communication skills for conflict resolution. Encouraging empathy through activities, ensuring a safe environment, and engaging in cooperative and creative play all contribute to a child's sense of peace. Introducing stories of peaceful role models and emphasizing the importance of kindness and cooperation further instills a lifelong commitment to fostering harmonious relationships.

But the task is neither that easy nor that simple while we are working on peacebuilding in a world where wars have been glorified in one way or the other and aggression is witnessed everywhere around the child. Almost every other country includes history in the school curriculum and when they include history they include wars as "victories" and warriors as "heroes". This curriculum is a barrier to building peace in a child's mind by glorifying conflict and valuing aggression. This perspective can normalize violence as a means of resolving disputes and foster a mindset that celebrates domination over cooperation and collaboration. Such narratives may overshadow the devastating consequences of war, including loss, suffering, and the long-term impact on societies. When children are repeatedly exposed to stories that highlight military attacks and conquests, they develop a skewed understanding of heroism that excludes peaceful conflict resolution.

The harmful aftermath of wars are not usually included in the curriculum and neither are the peace movements nor peace treaties signed among various nations in past few decades. To foster a mindset of peace, it is crucial to balance historical education with accounts of diplomacy, nonviolent resistance, and the contributions of peacemakers, thereby encouraging children to value and pursue peaceful solutions in their own lives. We need to critically review the curriculum and see how we are advising for peace but building counter narrative.

Beyond schools, the violent behaviors in society also hinder the development of peace in a child's mind by creating an environment of fear, instability, and mistrust. Exposure to violence, whether through direct experience, media, or community interactions, can desensitize children to aggression and normalize conflict as a way of solving problems. This can lead to increased anxiety, aggression, and a diminished capacity for compassion. Instead of learning peaceful conflict resolution and the value of cooperation, children may mimic aggressive outbursts and violent behaviors and adopt a belief system that sees force as an acceptable means to achieve goals. To cultivate a peaceful mindset, it is essential to not only shield children from violence but also to provide them with consistent lived experiences and examples of nonviolent communication, empathy, and conflict resolution.

Engaging children at elementary school level in sports, volunteer social work, plantation, reading, travelling, creative arts, poetry, music, dance, and drama fosters peace in their minds by broadening their horizons, enhancing humane values, and promoting softer emotional expression. Reading exposes them to diverse perspectives and cultures, cultivating understanding and tolerance. Travel provides firsthand experiences of different ways of life, fostering appreciation for diversity and interconnectedness with the nature - planes, mountains, forests, deserts, lakes, rivers, as well as direct peaceful interaction with livestock, animals, birds, fruits, and flowers. Participation in the arts, music, dance and drama encourages creative expression and emotional release, helping children process their feelings constructively. Sports and games also teach collaboration, patience, and respect for others' viewpoints, reinforcing peaceful interactions and a deeper appreciation for the richness of human experience. By nurturing these qualities, children are better equipped to develop a peaceful and harmonious worldview.

Building peace before the age of 12 is significant because adolescents' behaviors under the hormonal change will be self regulated on the values and beliefs that are already constructed.