Dear Parents, Families and Friends,

Welcome back to our House Blog!

The topic of yesterday’s House Assembly was “Conflict Resolution”. We started our discussion by asking the boys to give their definition of “Conflict”. We understood that most of the times a conflict starts when we feel that our person, ideas or values have not been respected or valued. We all agreed that “conflicts” are absolutely normal to arise especially in this context where the boys meet new people with different habits, uses, cultures, values etc. They find themselves sharing bathrooms, showers, rooms with perfect strangers, very often for the first time in their lives. It is not easy!

Conflict is a normal, and even healthy, part of relationships which can help youth develop good character traits and life skills. In fact the main point was to teach the boys how to handle conflicts!

We shared 4 main “magical” tips to healthy responses to conflicts:

1. CALM DOWN!
   YOU SIMPLY CAN’T THINK PROPERLY WHEN YOU ARE UPSET! Remember: CALM is a SUPER POWER
2. LISTEN! Listen to the reasons the other person gives for being upset and make sure you understand what the other person is telling you—from his or her point of view
3. COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY! Remember: recognising and understanding your feelings and emotions is a SUPER POWER. Use “I” messages and always avoid provocative language.
4. FORGIVE! It is not an easy task as FORGIVENESS is only for the bravest as it requires a lot of courage but… at least try! and BE WILLING TO FIND A COMPROMISE /SUGGEST POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS and REMEMBER WE ARE ALL A BIT NUTS!

We will consistently ensure that these steps are followed in the event of a conflict and we trust you will support us by reminding the boys about the importance of handling conflicts in a positive way!