Helping Your Kids Steer Clear of Gangs

What You Can Do

• Get to know your children’s friends, how they influence your kids, and what they do when they’re together. Discourage your kids from hanging out with gangs.
• Spend your free time with your kids. Give them chores to do around the house, enroll them in after-school activities, sports, and community center or church programs.
• Stress the value of an education and motivate them to do well in school.
• Develop good communication skills with your kids. Good communication is open, frequent, and positive. This will allow your kids to express themselves and confide in you.
• Find positive role models for them. Check out our article about mentoring.
• Spend time with your kids. Plan activities for the entire family, such as trips to parks, libraries, museums, or the beach. Give your kids attention!
• Give your kids some one-on-one time, so that you can give them your undivided attention.
• Don’t buy or let them wear clothing that resembles gang wear. They might attract attention from the wrong people.
• Set limits and rules for your kids. From an early age, let them know what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. Enforce a curfew. Don’t let them hang out until the wee hours of the night.
• Don’t let them write or draw graffiti like gang members.
• Get involved in your kid's education. Take an interest in your kids, go to their schools, get to know their teachers, and attend parent-teacher events.
• Learn about gangs and gang activity in your community. Get educated! Check the links under below to learn more about gangs.

If you follow these steps, your children may be less likely to join a gang. You can make the difference in your child’s life. Be active and show them how much you love and appreciate them. It’s never too late to start!

Resources

• Gang Resistance and Education Training (G.R.E.A.T) http://www.great-online.org/
• National Youth Gang Center http://www.iir.com/nygc/
• Gang-Free Schools and communities Program http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/programs/ProgSummary.asp?pi=6
• The Interagency Task Force On Gangs And Youth Violence: http://associations.smsu.edu/nogangs/
• La Mara Salvatrucha (in Spanish): http://www.terra.es/personal/pandilleros/ms13.htm