Teaching Children To Be Peacemakers

Peace seeds take root within each heart. Nourished & Loved, Peace growth will start.

Roots dig deeper, limbs reach for the sun, Peace blossoms erupt for everyone.

The fruit of peace grows juicy & ripe. Like new moon to full in a starry night.

Peace seeds then fall to the fertile ground. The circle complete & Peace all around.

(Peace Pie Mandala Project - poem by Jennifer Star)

How very important it is today to have Peacemakers in our world. Blessed be the firemen that put out the flames that roar and blessed be the peacemakers in a time of endless war.

Peace starts in the home and it is the time right NOW for teaching our children to be Peacemakers. World peace is greatly dependent upon the training and education of our children. The seeds of peace begin with them.

If we are going to bring about peace in the world, we have to begin with the children ~Mahatma Gandhi

You may be struck with how young and sweet some little children look on the outside but do you know what lurks on the inside? Do they hurt? Are they angry? Has a wrong worldly desire taken control of their heart and temporarily rule over their life?

And what consequences do you think our children will experience in their future if they give in to those desires?

Peacemaking is an essential step in teaching our children to resolve conflict within themselves and amongst their friends. Most of what they learn about getting along with others and treating themselves with respect is what they see their parents do at home. Parents clearly have the primary responsibility to model and teach with an open and loving heart.

I know as a mother that this does not always come naturally. It is common to become exasperated when teaching children. We must ourselves model the language of peace before we can teach our children to be peacemakers. It requires a great deal of faith, careful instruction and diligent practice.

Conflict does not destroy relationships or send hostile armies against each other or breakup families who are bruised and hurting from the hard knocks of life.

If not conflict then what?

It is our refusal to resolve the conflict. We refuse to bend to see the other persons point of view.

So what's the fix to resolving conflict?

Negotiation and Compromise - Getting people to understand the tremendous cost when they stubbornly refuse to resolve issues is the toughest part of all.

It is easier to double up our fists and yell and scream but it takes humility to make peace.

Teaching through Literature and Song

Plant your seeds of peace daily with your children and your harvest time will soon to come.

The roots within them will start to grow and a harvest of peace will begin to show.

Help the children be the change they want to see in the world by teaching them to be peacemakers.