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When Should Parents Intervene With Playground Quarrels?

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Well, if you see your kids or you see kids out on the playground having a little squabble with each other, first hang ​back and try to figure out what is happening. Are they trying to figure out the rules to a game? Are they trying to figure out who needs to take turns? Those are good things to sit back and let them negotiate on their own. That's how they learn that. Now, if there is name calling or pushing or any kind of physical hurting, that would be the time for you as an adult to intervene, separate them, have some apologies and then start over again. The things to set kids up for success on the playground would be how to ask to join a game, how to introduce yourself, how to share, I take a turn, you take a turn, how to take turns, and really how to disagree appropriately. If you don't like what's going on, how can you be respectful of yourself and other people and kind of get it worked out?