Problem Solving And Conflict Resolution For Children
Problem solving and conflict resolution for children should
begin being taught early on. If you're a parent of multiple
children in your family this becomes apparent as it won't take
siblings long at all to become engaged in some type of 'sharing'
violation with one another. Children of a family with other
children almost immediately are engaged in a social type of
activity albeit only with their brothers and sisters early on.
Conflicts and resolving those conflicts soon become part of
their day.
At an early age children are in more of a self exploration and
self discovery mode. From there and from a socialization
progression you will see kids playing together but not as a
coordinated group. In other words, the next progression is to
see a group of children 'geographically' playing together but
they all still have their own toys and objects. The next step of
the socialization of play is around 2 to 3 years old where
you'll see kids begin activities that begin to require
interaction and subsequently problem solving and conflict
resolution.
As a homeschooling parents you have the opportunity to actually
teach conflict resolution and problem solving techniques and
skills rather than just solving them. As a part of conflict
resolution it's important to get children to express themselves
and their feelings and get past their initial emotional
reaction. This will initially take some time and practice, and
you should take the time to get back to, and discuss the
conflict that occurred at a later time or date after the
emotions have calmed sufficiently down. Discussing previous
conflicts and how they could have reacted and handled them is a
key in their emotional growth.
As all children do early on, before they have the ability to
concisely express themselves, they learn that many times crying
and even screaming resolves their conflict because as parents we
try to assuage the behavior by getting them what they want or
need. The time needed for this emotional growth and self
education just isn't available in the public schools. But as a
homeschooling parent this should be a practiced activity.
Understanding and teaching conflict resolution to your children
is an integral part of their social development and growth.
Without these tools, children will grow into adults resolving
problems the only way the have ever known how to do - with
emotional behavior, and sadly, many times with force.
There is a tremendous amount of excellent information on these
techniques and teaching them to children of all ages. Make them
part of your day, and a part of your child's life and they will
grow in depth and confidence.