6 Tips for Building Conflict Resolution Skills in Children’s Early Years

young children on a bridge

In the first six years of their life, children are learning about themselves and the world around them. They are learning what it means to think ahead, to understand others, and be able to express themselves. Children at this age are in a phase of intense development, growing cognitively, linguistically and socio-emotionally. When adults around […]

4 Ways to Respond to Conflict as a Bystander

Monkeys by the sea

Between the ages of 5 and 18, I rode the bus to school nearly every morning. Each day was different; some days were calm, and others were boisterous, but most days included some kind of conflict. I did my fair share of instigating those conflicts, but I also had the opportunity to observe plenty of […]

How to Come Back to Conflict Conversations: Part 2

Family sitting on the grass

In conflict situations, my natural tendency is to avoid the conflict. For me, this would mean avoiding all conversation and interaction with the other party. If I did need to see them, I might  act as though the conflict never happened. If you watched me in these situations, you might say, “Wow! She’s a natural.” […]

How to Come Back to Conflict Conversations: Part 1

When I was in grade four, I was in the same class as my best friend. We at lunch together, played soccer together, and we liked the same things; clothes, music, movies. We spent most of our time at school as a duo.  One day, about halfway through the school year, we began to fight. […]