Conflict resolution
We often put a lot of attention on talking but forget that listening is just as important as communication is a two-way street that requires both intentional talking and listening. In this printable, I wanted to bring some attention to the differences between listening to respond and listening to understand. I hope you enjoy this printable and that it helps with some important conversations.
Suggestions:
- Keep a few of these at home/school/therapy to help with situations that require us to examine the ways we listen to each other and how that may lead to conflict or misunderstanding.
- Use to have discussions with your family on listening to understand.
- Use at school as ways as part of conflict management and resolution.
Inspired by Positive Discipline, the wheel of choice helps children come up with their own solutions to different challenges and problems. It can be used beyond conflict resolution to help children in different situations acknowledge their choices and options.
Suggestions:
- Keep a few of these at home/school/therapy to help with situations that require the child to make choices and decide how they need to respond to a challenge.
- Help children understand that they always have choices and help them elaborate on some of these choices and options if necessary.
- Use at school as ways as part of conflict management and resolution.
These repairing actions have the purpose of helping children become accountable for their words, deeds, and learn from them. The actions don't need to be public (or even known by the person who receives them) and are not there to cause shame or focus on blame. I look at them as deeds that help restore balance.
Suggestions:
- Keep a few of these at home to help with sibling conflicts or at school and work individually with each child.
- Help children understand that sometimes words are not enough and we must do something positive to repair trust, show love, refill an emotional bucket or make amends.
- Use at school as part of your conflict management and resolution tools.
Because you care, and sometimes it's hard to say it or show it when you are pulled in a million directions.
Because you care, and showing it in a creative way may open a door. Because you care, and you want to talk about it properly, and give everyone the chance to reflect about what happened.
Suggestions:
- Use in the classroom or with a large group to initiate further conversation.
- Use to show that you care and noticed something that needs attention.
- Use the blank ones as needed.
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If you find yourself in need of some tools to help teach filtering of speech. This is a good tool to use with conflict resolution, as a general guidance of what is acceptable at home or in the classroom or with children who need help understanding how to filter their words.The blank page allows for the child to come up with their own filters based on the examples.
Suggestions:
- Look at the example together and discuss.
- Talk about how these filters are not there to stop one from sharing their feelings but to help re-shape our words in a way that allows us to communicate properly.
- Work together as a group or have each child create their own questions and filters.
Learning to communicate properly is one of those great life skills we occasionally take for granted. Proper communication is especially important when it comes to conflict resolution.
Suggestions:
- Discuss the suggestions and how you can apply them at home or school.
- Use the blank version to come up with your own strategies of using your words to resolve conflicts.
-Talk about paraphrasing and using our words in a positive manner.
Reflection sheets to help navigate our words, feelings and actions when dealing with conflict.
Suggestions:
- Print and have a few handy at home or in the classroom.
- Use as a personal thinking step before or after discussion.
- Use as alternative to time out and then sit with the child and reflect together.