All children should learn how to resolve conflict as it is something that cannot be avoided in life. Other people will challenge them about their thoughts and their feelings at some point, so they should learn how to deal with it and put across their argument in a non-aggressive way.
Conflict is a part of life and we will all experience someone disagreeing with us. So, how can parents and carers help their children learn how to resolve conflict in a positive way? They can start by giving them the tools they need and feel that they can use to stay calm yet be assertive.
Four Ways to Resolve Conflict
- Teach children that they don’t have to agree with what their friends (or even what we say) but that together they can come to an agreement and find a solution without getting into a fight about the issue.
- We can teach our children to express themselves eloquently so that other people understand them and there’s no confusion about what they’ve said.
- We can teach them that they don’t have to do something that they don’t agree with. Then help them figure out what methods they can use to control their personal anger and implement them before losing control.
- We can also help our children to think of solutions to an argument that will appease both sides and teach them to admit that they are wrong (if they are). It is an admirable act to admit when we are wrong as it will reduce, or even make the conflict disappear.
What is the best advice you can give to your child about conflict? I’d love to hear how you’ve helped your child to deal with problems. Please leave a comment below or via my social media channels and check out more ideas in another article ‘Helping children resolve conflict’
Alternatively please feel free to give me a call on 07961312749 to chat about how I can help.
