The stage between childhood and adulthood has never been easy on human beings, think back to your teenage years. We are sure you were full of angst and frustration because you wanted to be treated like an adult yet you were still a child. Reality of teenagers today is that their mindset hasn’t changed in centuries; this is a normal stage of learning how to be your own person while still respecting your parents.
One skill all parents still need to work on teaching their teenagers that becomes ever so important during this stage in childhood is conflict resolution. Conflict occurs in life for all ages, it’s just a fact of life for all human beings. No two human beings have the same opinions, beliefs and morals which are the base of what causes conflict.
5 Conflict Resolutions for Teenagers
- You Cannot Wish the Problem Away – parents need to work not only through example but through open communication to educate their teenager that conflict will not simply disappear. Teenagers will need to work hard to evaluate conflict and make a determination on how to handle it versus avoiding it altogether.
- Don’t Make the Conflict Personal – teaching teenagers that a conflict isn’t personal, meaning the conflict is an issue not based upon an actual person. Work to guide your teenager to remove emotions from the conflict so they can focus and resolve the issue at hand without harming the relationship or friendship.
- Always be Assertive – a teenager needs to understand that they have to show some level of confidence when resolving conflict. This ensures that they don’t hide the conflict and let it fester inside for years. Being assertive during conflict resolution will go a long way, but there’s a fine line between assertive and aggressive, work with your teenager to teach the difference.
- Ability to Negotiate – teenagers need to learn that there is room for both people involved in the conflict to negotiate. This means listening to the other person’s opinion and truly hearing what they have to say, then sharing their side and coming to meet in the middle to resolve conflict. A teenager needs to comprehend negotiation isn’t losing the battle, it’s building the relationship.
- Learn to Say Sorry and Mean It – the last conflict resolution skill every teenager needs to learn is the ability to truly say sorry and mean it. Have your teenager practice saying sorry in the mirror each morning so that they can find that genuine nature about them when faced with having to apologize during conflict resolution. A good sorry can go a long way to resolve issues.
About the Author: Brandy Ellen is a Positive Lifestyle Blogger born and raised in New Hampshire, USA. Brandy is a successful work from home mom of three who enjoys inspiring others to live life fully.
Learn more about Brandy at HappilyBlended.com.
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