According to family counselor and professor Michael Obsatz, "The spiritually growing family is nonviolent and is committed to a set of principles that affirm life, encourage generosity, care for the community, and help members develop a sense of meaning and purpose." Since violence permeates all levels of society including even our schools and suburban neighborhoods, it is imperative that parents and children learn personal growth, self-defense, and interpersonal skills that are nonviolent. Dr. Obsatz outlines 21 of these skills and at the end of each chapter includes a variety of interactive activities for families.
Most of the skills have an ethical base and can be modeled by parents at home. Among these are empathizing with others, respecting other people's rights, collaborating and sharing ideas, and conflict negotiation. Dr. Obsatz identifies nurturing as a spiritual practice that is integral to nonviolence. This cannot be emphasized enough. In caring for ourselves and in caring for others, we nourish the seeds of intimacy and meaning.