14 Ways of Eliminating Tension in the Home
Conflict Resolution skills are useful tools outside of a mediation setting. It is important that we take these skills out into the world if we are going to effect change on a societal level. Here are a couple tips you can use in your home to reduce conflict before it becomes critical.
- Admit your family is less than perfect. It is unrealistic to expect a family life of complete peace and harmony.
- Family money problems can be resolved through discussions and compromises between spouses as well as other members of the family unit.
- The temptation to acquire material things can be minimized if you build warm and loving relationships within your family.
- Parents cannot always subordinate their own needs to their children's needs.
- Believe in yourself. The more confident you are, the more effectively you will be able to deal with stress and change in family life.
- Develop a dialogue with your family - don't debate with them.
- Live from the present to the past. Don't let past experiences inhibit your enjoyment of the future.
- Have consistent guidelines for family operations. A family will effectively operate if it has specifically designated goals and encouragement systems.
- Hold family meetings. Have a dialogue about whatever problems are facing your family before they build up emotions to an explosive peak.
- Stop comparing yourself and your family members with others.
- List the things that you are proud of. Make note of the things that distinguish you from others.
- Learn to express anger constructively. Be careful not to hurt someone or leave and individual feeling angry or resentful.
- Learn to deal with anger. Listen to others with valid complaints, then try to arrive at a realistic compromise.
- Keep a list of issues you argue over and arrange the argument generating issues in order of frequency and delicacy.
This list is adapted from the Parent-Teen Mediation Manual put together by the Piedmont Dispute Resolution Center.
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