Wednesday, November 28, 2007

It Might Be Worth a Try

Ever faithful to my beloved NPR, I've been listening to stories about the peace talks that took place in Annapolis, MD this week.

One caller to the Diane Rehm show referred to all of the participants as "lame duckers." I had quite a chuckle over that in my car all by myself.

Last night as I was driving home, journalists were discussing the meetings, the participants and whether any of them were really in the position to do any real negotiating. I believe one of them may have wondered aloud if the conflicts could be better resolved by children--or I could have wondered it while I was on auto-pilot on my way home after a day of staring at numbers, though I doubt I would have such a great idea on my own. Anyway, it got me thinking.

Our kids are taught about peer mediation and conflict resolution in school starting very early. I really am sure SOMEONE must have thought of this already, but wouldn't it be interesting to give a group of sixth graders who had been trained in peer mediation a case study resembling some of the more difficult world conflicts and see how they would resolve them?

Would it be that outlandish to suggest we put the conflict resolution responsibilities of the world in the hands of our children? Without years of ingrained hatred, might they be able to find solutions that will bring more peace to the world?

Maybe it's the time of the year. I have peace on the brain. I want my children to live in a safer world. My inner-idealist is oozing out.

Maybe all the kids would refuse to agree and stomp out of the room with all the snacks or even resort to beating each other up. But would that really be any different than what their parents' are doing already?

5 Deserve Mamma's Love:

Gunfighter said...

Truthfully, ML, I don't know that the kids would do any better.

They sure as hell coudn't make any more of a mess, though.

Maybe the bigger powers should stop trying to make peace. Let'em duke it out and see who comes out as top dog.

Anonymous said...

Truthfully, I think quite often that Americans try to simplify issues in the middle east, so that it appears that a school child could solve them. They aren't. Both sides have good and valid points of view. However, for either to get what they want, they other must give up what is rightfully theirs.

Lawyer Mama said...

I don't know that kids could solve them, but I'd really LOVE to see what they did. What a fantastic idea!

Mara Bee said...

You know, Mamma, I think that we can learn a lot from the approach our kids would take. Perhaps the issues are complex, as anonymous points out, but at the risk of sounding 'hokey', if we all followed the 'golden rule' and were considerate of one anothers positions, we could resolve an awful lot of things far more peacefully.

Psst...I've taken on a new blogger identity. You know me from my old blog, which is unofficially coming down in favor of my new one under this ID. Stalkers, you know...ick.

Lumpyheadsmom said...

That is flipping brilliant.