Tips on How to Teach Children to Resolve their Conflict

Fighting, feuds and favoritism. It is inevitable as the sunrise. Siblings will fight. But how they fight, how often and how to resolve their arguments are critical in teaching kids how to listen, negotiate and compromise. In addition, they realize that anger is natural and that they can differ and yet coexist with someone they love. Again, in the end, it is up to you to make fights productive.

Here are tips on how to teach children to resolve their conflicts:

1. Play detective. Look for triggers and patterns of fights and you can help avoid fights.

2. Be funny. Without mocking your children, diffuse situations with humor.

3. Use praise. Pat them on their backs when they reach compromises.

4. Do not make assumptions. Any one of your kids could have pushed the wrong buttons.

5. Acknowledge their anger. Stress that what is important is how they resolve their feelings.

6. Tell them you believe they can work things out on their own.

7. Model good behavior. Show respect and restraint when you argue with your spouse.

8. Ban violence. Make it clear that physical violence will not be tolerated.

9. Be their coach. Teach them how to fight fairly.

10. Remind them of what they know. Instead of intervening to settle an argument, point out what they can work with to reach a settlement.