Steps to Resolving Conflicts with Teens

Occasionally you might find yourself in an argument with a teen or anyone for that matter. You might find that the argument is going nowhere fast and getting a little out of hand. I have just a few simple steps to resolve the situation.

Step #1: The individual is in your face and is looking like they might shed some physical violence your way. Send some their way, just so they know you mean business. Start with a wrist-lock to stop their momentum. Then move into an arm-lock to immobilize them.

Step #2: While you have them in an arm-lock, suggest they position themselves flat on the ground. If they refuse, shift your weight and throw them to the ground. When they hit the ground re-establish the arm-lock and pin their shoulder to the ground by moving their arm to a 90 degree angle to the floor and adding a slight downward pressure.

Step #3: Reiterate your argument and explain why they are wrong. You have all the time in the world cause they aren't going anywhere. Hold this position until the individual is calm, and someone else is there to help you.

Step #4: With this second person's help, and while keeping an arm-lock, lift the individual off the floor. Escort the individual to a secure place and release. Conflict Resolved.

So in case you haven't guessed it already, I got to restrain a kid at the group home. I wasn't having an argument with him, but he wasn't liking what some of his peers were saying/doing. He tried going after one of them, and that's when I stepped in. It was actually a lot of fun, and it did effectively end the argument they were having.