Resolving Conflicts

What You Need:

• Peace and Harmony Fidget Spinner worksheet
• "The Conflict Resolution Song" video (YouTube)

What You Do:

1. Ask your child to share about a time when they got in an argument with someone and how they resolved their conflict. Build upon what they share, and explain that today they will learn about how to resolve conflicts when they disagree with someone.
2. Show "The Conflict Resolution Song" video.
3. Review the steps for conflict resolution with your child after the video:
   • Step 1: Take a deep breath to calm down.
   • Step 2: Communicate and talk it out.
   • Step 3: Compromise; you each have to give to get a solution you can both live with.
4. Explain that it is not always easy to resolve disagreements, but it can become easier with practice.
5. Share that another tool that may be used to resolve conflicts is mindfulness. Even if the person is far away and you can not speak to them right away, you can still practice mindfulness to resolve the conflict within yourself.
6. Tell your child that they will now practice conflict resolution with mindfulness.
7. Ask them to become as still as they can, and to take a few deep breaths in and out of their belly.
8. Have them close their eyes or look down.
9. Guide them to imagine a person they dislike or hold anger towards.
10. Tell them to imagine this person as a baby or a young child.
11. Ask them to imagine looking into this person's eyes and seeing their gentleness as a baby.
12. Tell your learner to recognize that this person has needs and wants, and that they want peace and happiness, just like everyone else.
13. Have them imagine this person filled with peace.
14. Explain that sometimes, people make mistakes and hurt others because they are not happy or peaceful themselves.
15. Guide your child to imagine this person is feeling loved and peaceful.
16. Ask them to repeat the following phrase, in their mind, to this person: "Peace and harmony...peace and harmony...peace and harmony...peace and harmony..."
17. Tell your child to see peace surrounding this person.
18. Next, ask your learner to imagine this peace surrounding themselves, too.
19. Guide them to imagine they are filled and surrounded with peace, and to repeat the phrase to themselves, in their mind: "Peace and harmony...peace and harmony...peace and harmony...peace and harmony..."
20. Have your child take a few deep breaths, and allow for any images to fall away.
21. Tell them to open their eyes or look up.
22. Ask, "How do you feel? What did you notice? Was this easy? Hard?"
23. Read the instructions of the Peace and Harmony Fidget Spinner worksheet, and make sure your child understands the activity.
24. Help them create their Peace and Harmony Fidget Spinner to support calmness in the face of conflict.