Local professors create ‘Disagree Better’ toolkit for parents
May 16, 2024, 8:03 AM | Updated: Jul 10, 2024, 8:31 am
(Utah State University/ BYU Wheatly Institute)
(Utah State University/ BYU Wheatly Institute)
SALT LAKE CITY — Some local college professors have teamed up to create a toolkit to help parents teach their kids how to “Disagree Better.”
Tune in to Dave & Dujanovic
The free online toolkit is a response to Governor Cox’s Disagree Better Initiative.
Dave Schramm, a Utah State University Extension family life specialist and associate professor created much of the course.
“We at Utah State partnered with the Wheatley Institute of Brigham Young University. We wanted to create something that was simple, that was easy to access, that was practical and research-based and so we came up with a series of three 20 to 30-minute e-lessons or e-courses that are free,” said Schramm.
He said the idea is to help get good principles and practices in the home. It starts with the parents.
“A lot of children are watching. They’re listening in the back seat at the ball games, you know, they’re listening to how we talk to referees or to other parents. And so really disagreeing better starts first with us with individuals,” said Schramm.
What is the ‘Disagree Better’ toolkit?
According to Schramm, the first module has an assessment with some questions.
“What are your values? Can you become better? And then the second one builds on that and expands a little bit. It’s about disagreeing better within the family.”
Schramm noted that many of the biggest arguments happen between family members.
The third part of the program involves dealing with people outside the home. He said it includes simple principles and practices. Additionally, it includes tips to help parents teach their children values to disagree better with those outside their homes.
“We’re talking dignity and civility and respect; kindness, compassion. Those essential characteristics about really being able to get along with other people in healthy ways,” said Schramm.
“It really matters…we need to become better at how we do that, and it starts in the home.”
The complete Disagree Better toolkit and courses can be accessed at the USU Extention’s website.
