Parents who would raise their children effectively in violent environments must first manage their own response to such an environment. If both parents and infants have been traumatized by violence, the parents may not recognize and attend to their children's distress because it reminds them of what they try to forget. There are five factors that have proven effective in enabling families to cope with adverse circumstances. They are strong kinship bonds, flexibility in family roles, a strong spiritual/religious orientation, a strong work orientation, and high achievement orientation. One strategy parents have found effective in helping their families cope with violence involves self-empowerment. This consists of using intelligence, observation powers, and common sense to develop protective behaviors and teach them to the children. Another strategy is to participate in every community effort designed to rid the community of violence. This means refusing to accept that violence is inevitable. 2 references