What if peacemaking is a skill we could learn as young as age three?

Dr. Emily de Schweinitz Taylor is a certified mediator, developmental psychologist, author, and mother of five. She holds master's degrees in international policy and conflict resolution and a PhD in developmental psychology, and she hosts the podcast Conflict Coach with Dr. Emily Taylor. In this conversation, she shares what a career in mediation — and raising five kids — taught her about handling conflict well.

Emily explains why relationships matter more than winning, why we can't force peace through pressure or control without breeding resentment, and how research shows even young children can learn to negotiate and repair conflict. She walks through the five conflict approaches — avoid, accommodate, compromise, compete, and collaborate — and why "conflict fluency" means being able to shift between them. And she shares the heart of her coaching work: listening deeply, helping people find their own answers, and remembering that real connection requires both listening and sharing.

We cover conflict fluency, the five conflict approaches, teaching children to mediate, perspective-taking, self-determination, and why lasting peace comes from exchange, not accommodation.

Dr. Taylor is the author of Conflict Fluent and Raising Mediators. https://www.raisingmediators.com/

Learn more and find her podcast Conflict Coach with Dr. Emily Taylor on BYU Radio wherever you get podcasts. https://www.byuradio.org/conflict-coach/episodes/season-1

All Peacemakers Needed spreads everyday peacemaking one conversation at a time. Learn more and become a peacemaker at allpeacemakersneeded.com.

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