Olney, MD-November 7, 2003-As the United States celebrates its 50th Anniversary of Veterans Day, the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) asks parents everywhere to nurture conflict resolution skills among children and to honor veterans by building a foundation for long-term civility and peace in the broader world.

Parents frequently have the first opportunity to help children successfully resolve interpersonal conflicts. These conflicts, such as who gets the bigger piece of cake, can be used to help children manage disagreements that are an inherent part of living and interacting with others.

ACEI provides these parental guidelines for approaching this difficult task:

• Monitor disputes between children who are at different developmental levels, and when safety, financial, or other adult issues are involved.

• Start with small conflicts so that young children will see the fairness of the solution.

• Allow children to practice expressing their thoughts. The first step in mediation is being able to articulate your own view.

• Set a time when each child must stop talking in order to pay attention to the feelings and opinions of others.

• Assist children at different developmental levels of understanding. Toddlers have only a limited ability to consider another person's point of view; school-age children can pick up some main ideas.

• Seek win-win solutions and ask children if they're happy with the outcome. Some children are quick to abdicate their needs rather than negotiate a fair solution.

• Allow children to observe as parents work out reasonable compromises for issues within the child's understanding.

• Praise children equally and remind them that successful compromises depend on everyone working together.

When we help our children resolve disagreements, we give them something of value—preparation for the next generation of mediators and peacekeepers resolve conflicts far beyond the scope of the family.

From Klein, H. (2001). Peacekeeping 101. Childhood Education, 77(5). Full article and related articles are available by contacting Gina Hoagland at (301) 570-2111.

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Gina Hoagland at aceihq@aol.com