Learning Peacemaking Skills with Activities

"The 'peacemaking' skills of affirmation, respecting differences, cooperation, and creative resolution of conflicts, learned early within the security of their own families, give children the foundation of lifelong values. Where love and acceptance are expressed in the home, children can risk testing out new ideas, tying new patterns of behavior. They can risk failure. They can dare to hold beliefs that may differ from the accepted norms of their neighborhoods, schools, and the marketplaces where they will spend their days as adults. And they can learn to respect others who are different." by Jacqueline Haessly in Learning to Live Together

For the next few days, I will be sharing Activities that may help families with the Gifts of "Affirmation," "Cooperation," "Respect for Differences," and "Resolving Conflicts Creatively.

Today I will start with a couple of Affirmation Activities.

"Naming Myself"
Purpose: To allow each member of the family to make positive statements about themselves.
How it works: 1) Family members gather together around a table or in a circle on the floor. 2) Give each person a sheet of paper and a crayon, pen, or pencil. 3) Each person writes the letters of his/her name downward on the paper, for example:

L
O
R
I

4) Write one positive word about yourself or one activity you like to do for each letter of you name. 5) The letters can begin the work, end the word, or be in the middle of the word, for example:

L oveable
h O nest
R eads
pol I te

Variation: Pass a paper with your name on it around the circle and have everyone add one positive word for each letter of your name.

"Family Sharing Time"
Purpose: To allow family members to share with one another some of their likes and dislikes, their hopes, dreams, and fears.
How It Works: 1) Family members gather together around a table or in a circle on the floor. 2) Each person in turn answers one of the following questions or statements. (Be sure to vary the questions after everyone has responded to the first question.) 3) Allow a different child or adult to choose the sharing question each round. 4) Use these questions at meal time, for car conversation, or for family meetings.

Suggested Questions and Statements:

1) Tell about one of your favorite things and why it is your favorite. Let everyone get a chance to speak. Choose one idea for each round--colors, animals, books, music, sports, time of day subject in school, season of the year, place in the house, etc.

2) What is one thing you really like to do in winter, or summer? Why?

3) What do you really like to do when it rains or snows? Why?

4) Tell how you made someone happy today.

5) Tell how someone made you happy today.

6) Tell about one time when you were afraid.

7) Tell about something that made you sad.

8) Tell about one time when you felt shame for something you did. Did you do anything to resolve it?

9) Tell each person in the circle on thing you really like about them.

10) Tell each person in the circle one thing you really like about yourself.