Conflict is a normal part of life, and it is important for you to model to your child/ren positive ways of handling conflict and disagreements.

If you have a conflict situation in the home, how you approach it can be very powerful, and gives your child essential tools for their future at home, at school and in the workplace later on.

Tips for conflict management

• Be calm and talk about it. Wait until you have both settled your emotions and talk in a calm voice.
• Listen to understand the problem from each side. Listen without interrupting.
• Stick to the issue at hand. Don’t get sidetracked with old or unrelated issues.
• Let them know you can see their side, even if you don’t agree let them know you can understand why they feel that way.
• Focus on a solution. What do we need to do to resolve this problem. Give suggestions and decide on a solution that works for both.
• Sometimes you have to respectfully agree to disagree and that’s okay as long as we find a positive way to move on.