Why is it Vital to Teach Kids to Resolve Conflicts on Their Own?

posted on Jun 28, 2019

It is natural for children to get embroiled in a conflict or a battle of wills with other kids and even adults at times. Karen Stephens, director of Illinois State University Child Care Center, suggests that just as inevitable the conflicts are, they are also necessary for equal measures as they can teach kids some valuable life lessons. It is these conflicts and bickering in early childhood that teaches the kids to understand that there can be other points of views besides their own that they need to respect. It also teaches children that disagreements are natural and resolvable.

We, at Gurukul The School, believe that if the respectful resolution of the conflict is not mastered in early childhood, the skills become increasingly harder to imbibe as age progresses. On the other hand, when a child is taught the skills of conflict resolution since childhood, it becomes a part of his/her nature, and the child will then rarely need the help of adults in the peaceful dissolution of the disagreements that he/she gets involved in. Studies have revealed that kids who learn to resolve their conflicts on their own are less likely to showcase violent outbursts and outrages upon growing up. Explained further in this article below are some prominent reasons that will help you understand why is it vital to teach kids to resolve conflicts on their own.

Interpreting the emotions of their own and others

One of the foremost reasons to teach children the ways of conflict resolution is to enable them to interpret emotions, both theirs as well as others. Disagreements stem from feelings of dissatisfaction, jealousy, and anxiousness. Once children are able to interpret the negative emotions that lead to conflicts, they will be in a better position to reign over them.

Learning to balance personal needs with those of others

An important part of the development of the young minds should be the gradual expansion of the capacity to balance personal rights, wants, and needs with those of others. Being sensitive to different perspectives and point of view does not come easy to young children, and it takes continuous practice. It is hence best to sow the seeds of that practice from early childhood.

Developing social responsibility among children

Teaching children to resolve conflicts on their own entails helping them to learn how to control the ways to express and act on their emotions. Exercising choice and decision-making power over their behavior is an intrinsic part of becoming socially responsible. It not only helps kids to develop their own character but also showcase constructive social skills.

Growing up to be more compassionate and accommodating

Of the many qualities that we truly want our children to showcase, compassion and kindness are the foremost. As the budding global citizens of tomorrow in a diverse nation like ours, it is important for our children to be accommodating and considerate towards all opinions, views, ideas, and outlooks, as only then our children can effectively become the flag bearers of unity that we want them to be.

The impact on their professional lives in the future

The diversity of surroundings and the differences in opinion further increase as an individual step into the professional world. Failing to learn the ways to resolve and handle conflicts as a child, will act as a hindrance to their professional growth in future as they wouldn’t know how to deal with the opposing views coming their way. On the other hand, once the skills are learned and instilled by the child early on in life, he/she will be better able to take the differences in his/her stride and preserve a cooperative work environment conducive to his/her professional growth.

We, at Gurukul The School, ranked among the Top Five Schools in Ghaziabad, believe that cooperation and conflict are both intrinsic parts of an individual’s life, and the values of the former can never be learned without understanding the importance of the latter. With enough patience and a consistent approach from the parents and us, we are very much certain that we can help to develop our little ones into individuals who are well-attuned to the emotions and ideas of all and see conflicts as a difference in opinions and a chance to learn something from a different viewpoint.