When you find out that your child is fighting at recess it can generate some impotence since from work or from home you can do little. But the reality is that you can improve the situation from home so that your child can have healthy breaks between classes. Some parents relax on this subject and believe that the best way to deal with these problems is to allow the children to fix it on their own without their intervention. In this way children can have their own discussions and resolve conflicts as they see fit.
It is normal for young children to experience difficulties sharing, waiting for turns, and identifying roles within groups when they play together. It is important for them to practice the skills necessary to resolve conflict so that it becomes second nature to them throughout their lives and that small conflicts do not turn into big emotional catastrophes. With the correct guidance from parents, even the youngest children can learn basic conflict resolution skills ... But you have to work it from home and not look elsewhere.
Parents and children's recess
It is necessary that if you suspect that your child has problems at school recess, you ask him directly what is happening. It is very important that you have open and honest conversations with your child in order to find out if what is happening is serious or not. If your child does not tell you anything, then talk to your child's tutor to be attentive both in class and at recess in case there is any strange behavior on the part of your child or others.
Helicopter parents tend to hover nervously over their child on the playground, in order to make sure it does not cause them any harm in what they perceive to be a dangerous environment. There are parents who are able to approach the school at recess time to see with their own eyes what may happen and even intervene if they see it necessary. These parents intend to protect their child from incidents on the playground, but this can prevent them from developing necessary skills such as problem solving and risk assessment, resulting in a poor decision and your child may have problems in adolescence.
There are also parents who do not want anything to get in the way of their children's success and want them not to suffer for anything in the world. For example, they are parents who become aggressive if they realize that their children are involved in recess problems or if someone has threatened them. Children will fight to defend themselves but must not become dependent on adult support… But of course, They should know that they will always have the support of their loved ones and trusted adults whenever they need it.
Children must learn that their actions have consequences and that although they may choose to choose help they must learn from their mistakes, if they are always being rescued they will not learn responsibility for their actions. If you do everything for your children and always overprotect them without giving them the necessary tools to improve themselves, then they will not learn to defend themselves or to get things done on their own.
What can you do when there is a conflict on the playground?
When a conflict arises, it is important that the children involved have the opportunity to tell their version of what happened, so the rest should listen without interrupting. Once each child has had a turn to speak, the parent (or the adult present) can simplify the problem for the children into a sentence or two in order to express the problem clearly and give the children a good understanding of what has happened. happened.
Children should be reminded that they too have to listen while others speak. In this way, the conversation in the group will be facilitated and that in this way among all the participants the best solution can be chosen. If you cannot do this because you are not present at school, you can talk to your child's teacher and have him or her take it into account.
Once an appropriate suggestion has been agreed upon, the children should be commended for working together to solve their problem. They will feel free to carry out the solution chosen by all, which will be fair and equitable for all. Parents should observe children playing in the parks as well and apply these strategies to ensure that no further conflict arises. If the solution does not appear to be working, the group should have the opportunity to renegotiate a different solution.
While it is normal for a young child to use physical means to achieve their goals, some incidents can be more serious, especially if they are repeated by the same child. In this case, it may be more beneficial for that child to be redirected to another activity on the playground, or in the case of severe actions such as biting, pinching, kicking or punching, the child should be removed from the play area and you will need to give him time to think about his actions before returning to the play area, where he or she will continue to be watched by adults. It is also important for a child to be responsible and apologize for their actions whenever necessary.
All children require repeated practice for them to learn conflict resolution skills. Conflict resolution is a necessary social skill that It will help children to be more aware and sensitive to the needs and feelings of others, thus building empathy and resilience. A child's self-confidence develops when he learns to solve his problems in a positive and assertive way. They develop valuable communication and listening skills while also learning to think creatively and evaluate solutions.