Negotiating Trust and Power: Parenting in the Context of Conflict Resolution
Elizabeth Protacio-De Castro, Ph. D.
Psychosocial Trauma and Human Rights Program, Center for Integrative and Development Studies, University of the Philippines; Save the Children
E-mail: pstcids@edsamail.com.ph
A resource paper commissioned by Save the Children and presented at the Save the Children regional workshop: 'Towards a strategy to address corporal punishment of children in Southeast East Asia Pacific', Zenith Hotel Bangkok (Thailand), 6-9 October 2003

This paper explores conflict and conflict resolution in the family, including education and training for families on positive methods of conflict resolution. It also stressed the importance of considering Asian concepts of family and childhood. It looks into the power relations in the family context, which play a strong role in the resolution of conflict. This applies in schools as well as in families. In the family context, the power relation is not only between the adult and the child but between the two parents. Child-rearing is the responsibility of mothers in many Asian cultures. Mothers find themselves struggling because they lack skills of decision-making or negotiation. At the same time, mothers are not able to negotiate with their children because of her lack of power in relation to their husbands. This means that family dynamics must be taken into account when devising strategies to address corporal punishment. The paper suggests a more positive method of resolving confl icts-negotiation. Negotiation affords a means for both parties in conflict to seek and meet their opposing needs amicably.