Socializing Children as Peacemakers

Socialization is learning to get along with other people. It can be used as a tool to teach children to be peacemakers. Regardless of where children are taught, many of them are not being fully equipped for real life. In order to fulfill this responsibility, parents ought to learn to view socialization as relationships that inevitably involve conflict. We should be prepared to respond to these conflicts in a array of constructive ways.

Some conflicts call for friendly discussion, teaching, or respectful debate. Other situations, call for more decisive actions. We may need overlook offenses, lay down rights, and do well to those who wrong us. Sometimes love requires gentle confrontation or a firm rebuke, we need to be willing to forgive others.

Socialization is the process of learning how to obey the second great commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself. Getting along with other people requires a loving heart and understanding an array of conflict resolution skills. Proper socialization essentially involves peacemaking. In a world where love does not come naturally, it is expedient for children to be taught the value and responsibility of loving one another. How do we learn to love others? through the examples and instructions of parents and teachers. When it comes to socializing children, parents clearly have the primary responsibility to model and teach love to others.

Since all of life involves relationships, and all relationships are prone to conflict, peacemaking is a key to our children's success in life. If our children are unprepared to accept those around them, their attempts to be a contributor to peacemaking will be unproductive. However, if children learn how to love and be accepting of those who wrong them, they will be more likely to demonstrate love and forgiveness.

Peacemaking is also a key ingredient to a happy family and a guard against abuse and divorce. There is a suggested way to deal with conflict, it is to humble confess, lovingly confront, and exercise genuine forgiveness.

At this juncture there are four areas to consider when teaching your children to be peacemakers:

• Peacemaking springs from assurance
• Always reassure your child’s heart with compassion
• Provide deliberate organized instruction
• Arrange opportunities to practice peacemaking

By continually reminding our children who they are, we can inspire them to replicate love by relinquishing evil desires, and respond to conflict in a way that is healthy and beneficial to others. When parents role model this behavior it can help children to preserve their friendships, strengthen their interactions with other children at school, and give them greater success eventually in the workplace. As our children are transformed to learn to love others as they love themselves, even in the midst of conflict, they will develop the sensitivity and attitude that is needed to put into practice peacemaking. What a privilege it is for parents to participate in this process! Can we be diligent to this request by consistently teaching and modeling peacemaking in every aspect of our homes and lives?