Conflict Resolution Wheel

Yes, another post about conflict resolution! It is such an important skill that crosses over many domains. When it comes down to conflict it is often due to a strong emotion such as anger, sadness, or being scared. Young children often have trouble knowing how to resolve their emotions and verbalize their feelings. A great way for you to help your kid with conflict resolution is to have them make a resolution wheel. This wheel offers them many positive solutions in the case of a conflict. Many of these solutions involve identifying and understanding their own emotions. This would be a great activity for you to start with your kid on a rainy day. Before beginning the activity you could brainstorm what they might do when they have a conflict. What ideas do they have about how they could deal with a strong emotion? You can always add your own ideas to the wheel and edit whichever conflict resolutions work best for your child. Some of our favourites were: walk away, calm down, cool off; use I messages; use kind words and friendly voice;, and talk together, work it out.

To make the wheel you can download and print it from Sunshine Parenting, or simply create your own on a piece of paper. This wheel can be used if children do not know what to do in a conflict. They can pick which option is best or the scenario or which option would help them to resolve and ground their emotions. This activity may need some explanation but once they understand it, they will be in charge of their own emotions. This will be a great little toolkit for them to use and take to school!