We've all heard horror stories about groups of teenagers or young adults who have brutalized homeless people as a way of having some so-called "fun", and when we hear these stories we wonder how on Earth a group of young people could commit such a crime. We can understand that one teenager could have mental problems, but we can't understand how or why the rest of the group could have taken part in such a thing and/or stood by and watched it happen. Most of the young people who commit these atrocious crimes obviously have their own set of mental problems, and most people's children don't grow up to do such horrible things. Still, talking to children over a certain age about some of the causes and consequences of homelessness can help them realize that homeless people are neither sub-human nor inanimate objects nor jokes can promote better understanding of homeless people; and better understanding is never a bad thing.

This is a difficult topic, and it isn't necessarily one that's appropriate to discuss with the littlest of children. When a very young child sees, for example, a man sitting or sleeping
in a doorway of a city building it may be best to answer any questions he has with something simple like, "I guess he must have gotten tired and needed to rest." School-aged
children and teens, though, cannot be shielded from the fact that homelessness exists in our society, so - as with all difficult issues - parents' discussing this issue may help immunize tomorrow's adults from much of the ignorance that exists today, as well as provide kids with a better understanding of this difficult subject.

Discussing people who are without a place to live should start by teaching kids to refer to those people without homes as "homeless people" and not as "The Homeless". "The Homeless" sounds like a club that people joined voluntarily. "The Homeless" also leaves out the term, "people", and the fact that people who have no home are still people is, perhaps, THE most important thing to teach kids.

A simple way to explain homelessness to kids is to point out an easy-to-comprehend example of how easily some people may become homeless. For example, explain to kids how a person could be laid off from his job, use up what money had had in savings, and end up without money to pay his mortgage or rent. Of course, it is important to also point out to children why they don't need to worry about becoming homeless. Explaining that Mom and Dad are both working, so if one gets laid off there's the the other's money or explaining that Mom and Dad have so much money in the bank and in investments there is no way they would or could go through it all may help reassure children about their own wellbeing. Explaining to kids that there is often not public assistance for people who don't have custody of minor children will help them understand the plight of the homeless person. When the discussion has been triggered as a result of a child's seeing a homeless, ill-appearing, person (and possibly asking questions) it may be wise to point out how sometimes when a person is left living in the street through cold Winters he or she just may start to take a drink of alcohol here or there because he/she thinks it will help lesson his/her suffering. Pointing out that resorting to alcohol to ease pain is a dangerous choice; and pointing out that sometimes people are in such difficult circumstances they may not be able to resist alcohol to ease the pain, makes sense for the purposes of discussing the plight of homeless people with kids.

Talking to kids, too, about how if someone lives on the streets it isn't easy to find a bathroom for showing may help them understand that homeless people may not choose to be dirty. It may be wise to also mention to children that there are times when people who live outside suffer they may get mental illness. Explain, too, that there are veterans who have returned from war sick and some of them find themselves homeless.

After explaining to children why a person may become homeless and pointing out that this is a serious and sad problem that happens to some people, tell children that there are many adults who are working to try to stop homelessness from happening to people.

At this point in the discussion children should easily be able to understand that 1) it is never ok to be rude to anyone and 2) that someone who has been through so much loss in his life that he has found himself homeless does not deserve to be treated badly on top of everything else.

Pointing out to children that some homeless men may have fought for our country in a war and seen all kinds of awful things may help them see that homeless people are not sub-humans. Explaining to them that just being able to stay alive while outside takes tremendous strength and endurance, and that a homeless person may be far stronger than some of the rest of us, with warm and cozy homes, have ever been asked to be. Telling children how there can be all kinds of homeless people, including families, college-educated people, and people of very high moral character may help them realize that just because someone is wearing an old coat or two and is sitting on a curb somewhere it doesn't necessarily mean he's sick, an addict, weak, evil, or stupid. Telling children how there are alcoholics in all walks of life, as there are drug users and addicts in all walks of life, may help them realize that even the homeless person who is clearly "on something" or drunk doesn't necessarily mean that homeless people have a monopoly on addiction. Point out, though, that homelessness can happen when someone is too addicted to something to be able to work or keep what he earns. Explaining, though, that sometimes someone has so much loss or unhappiness in his life that he may think he can just take something once to feel better may help a young person understand that even addicts may have started out very differently from what they become.

It makes sense, too, to point out that when someone has lived outside for too long he may be treated horribly by so many people that he may not have the ability to control his temper if someone gives him a hard time. It never hurts for kids to realize that the person who may need a drink or a smoke or a meal may not have all the patience in the world.

Finally, talk frequently to kids about how all humans deserve to be treated with respect and compassion; and if they can't be respectful then at least refrain from making rude remarks if they're with a group of kids who think that's funny. There will always be those few mentally ill, sadistic, individuals who may target homeless people, but a generation of kids who have been educated the causes and consequences of homeless could potentially reduce the number of future teens and young adults willing to stand by and/or participate in brutality against homeless people.