Owning Your Part: How Parents can lead their Child to resolve Parent-Child Conflict

Arguments and conflicts are inevitable in any relationship, including the relationship between a parent and a child. When disagreements arise, it is easy to point fingers and lay blame on the other person. However, it is important to remember that both parties have to own their part in the conflict if you want any hope of repairing the relationship.

Both the parent and the child are not perfect. As it says in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This includes the parent and the child. It also means that in the heat of the moment, it is easy to let the sinful tendency come out and dominate the situation. And when two sinful tendencies fight one another, it is incredibly difficult to resolve the issue.

So what should you do?

First, recognize that you have a part that you need to own. What were your sinful tendencies that led you to this argument or conflict with your child?

Second, acknowledge it by writing it down or expressing it to someone. Show your child that it is okay to admit when you are wrong. Become a role model for your child.

On the other hand, children are not exempt from owning their mistakes. If this is a repeated behavior for the child, then it is about pausing the argument and asking your child, “What mistakes did you make while you were in this argument?” Have your child acknowledge their part in the conflict.

It is when both parents and the child own their part of the conflict that they are able to move on to problem-solving.

You and your child need to understand that conflicts are a two-way street. It takes effort from both sides to find a resolution and move forward. Owning one's mistakes and taking responsibility for one's actions is the first step towards achieving a healthy and positive relationship.