How to Help Your Child Deal with Conflict - Salt 106.5

How to Help Your Child Deal with Conflict

"When they feel heard, they feel like they can trust you more," Kimberley said and encourages parents to actively listen to their child.

Listen: "When they feel heard, they feel like they can trust you more," Kimberley said and encourages parents to actively listen to their child.

By Salt 106.5 TeamTuesday 14 May 2024The Morning Wake-up with JordanaThe Courage EditionReading Time: 2 minutes

It’s a horrible feeling, when our kids are having conflict in their friendships, and we don’t know how to help them.
Key points
  • When kids are having conflict in their relationships, active listening makes a huge difference.
  • “When they feel heard, they feel like they can trust you more,” Kimberley said.
  • Hear the full conversation in the player above. 

Youth Coach Kimberley Conicella believes emotional support is a huge part of helping kids through any kind of conflict.

The founder of The Courage Edition sat down with Salt 106.5’s Jordana to chat about what parents can do to support their kids when they’re having conflict.

“What you can do at home is really show that active listening,” Kimberley said and explains that active listening looks like eye contact and getting down on their level, making sure we’re not doing anything else and that we don’t have anything in our hands.

“If we can do that and then model that supportive relationship with other members of the family, that’s going to make them feel really supported at home,” she said.

When kids are having conflict in their relationships, active listening makes a huge difference.

“If you child’s having conflict at school, and you want to know more about it, one thing that I suggest is what’s called ‘parallel chats’.

“Parallel chats is when you’re having a conversation with your child but you’re standing next to them, not looking at them.”

Whether you’re kicking a ball against a fence with them, or cooking together, by taking the pressure off the conversation, we’re taking the pressure off our child.

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“When they feel heard, they feel like they can trust you more,” Kimberley said.

“That way they tend to open up more when you’re having that conversation because it’s more casual,” Kimberley said.

“They feel more comfortable, they’re focusing on what’s going on with kicking the ball or passing the ball and they tend to open up more.

“When they feel heard, they feel like they can trust you more.”

Kimberley advises parents that if they can help their child feel heard, that’s what it’s all about.

Hear the full conversation in the listener above.


Feature image: Photo by CanvaPro