Being a peacemaker has the potential to change a child’s life, and the lives of those around them. The great news is, any child of any age can learn the skills required to be a peacemaker. Here at PeaceWiseKids, we’re all about helping kids to understand conflict, identify it in their relationships at home, with friends or at school and how to deal with it. Here’s why it’s so important to become a peacemaker.

1. The world is full of conflict

Strong, healthy relationships are what we all hope for, but conflict is rife in the world! With the right strategies, kids can become peacemakers, and that will set them up to make a difference in the world.

2. We generally don’t know how to handle conflict

Widely speaking, we all need some help with understanding and dealing with conflict, and usually we handle it badly by avoiding the situation, escaping it or getting aggressive towards the other person.

3. Conflict causes pain

Conflict can cause kids great pain and suffering – social exclusion, anxiety, depression, lack of sleep, poor school performance, tension in friendships and family plus more.

4. Essential skills don’t always come naturally

Learning healthy ways to handle challenging relationships doesn’t always come naturally to many kids (or adults for that matter!), so becoming a peacemaker early in life is a great way to learn a ‘meta-skill’ that will have long-term positive effects.

5. It is possible to learn healthy ways to respond to conflict

The great news is that there are strategies that work. Here at PeaceWiseKids, that’s exactly what were’ out to do – help your kids understand understand what conflict is, identify it in their relationships, and then learn how to deal with them effectively.

6. Peacemakers build stronger friendships

With greater understanding of conflict, how to deal with it, and an understanding of the peacemaking strategies required, children learn to become adults who forge stronger relationships that can face difficulties and hardships and still remain strong because it’s approached the right way, with peace and love for each other at the centre.

7. We are called by the God of peace.

God calls us though his wisdom in the bible to be an example of peace and wants every child to have peace in their lives.

8. Jesus paved the path to peace for us to follow

Through God’s wisdom in the Bible and the example and teaching of his son Jesus, we have been given pathways to peace which every child can learn.

9. Children become more confident and self-empowered to make a difference

As the leaders of the future, children can become active and positive contributors to building peace and relational health into the communities to which they belong.

10. Children can learn to have greater freedom from conflict

With every new child who learns peacemaking, our world becomes a better place, and they join the ever-growing network of children spreading peace throughout the world – which can only be a good thing!