Disciplining a traumatized child focuses on building safety, trust, and emotional regulation through trauma-informed strategies like "time-ins" (staying connected) instead of timeouts, consistent routines, positive reinforcement, offering choices, and helping them name feelings, rather than punishment, which can re-trigger trauma. Patience, consistency, calm presence, and seeking professional help are crucial, as their challenging behaviors are often survival responses, not defiance.
Here's what you can do at home: Acknowledge what have happened, validate their feelings, reassure them that whatever happened was not their fault, create safe and stable environment, be kind, gentle and patient, provide comfort and an emotional support and teach your child positive coping strategies.
It's a good time to remind them that all their feelings are valid, and we want to hear their perspective. Hold an open discussion about thoughts and feelings. It is helpful to ask the child what they need to help them feel safe and to help manage their feelings from this. Answer their questions honestly and directly.
Leanne Johnson has developed the 3 Cs Model of Trauma Informed Practice – Connect, Co-Regulate and Co-Reflect. It is a comprehensive approach based on the current evidence base, emphasising the importance of relationships that young people require in trauma recovery.
The 'fight or flight' response is how people sometimes refer to our body's automatic reactions to fear. There are actually 5 of these common responses, including 'freeze', 'flop' and 'friend', as well as 'fight' or 'flight'.
This sensory focus helps interrupt escalating anxiety and supports calming responses. The rule is easy to apply in everyday situations. Children are guided to name three things they see, three things they hear, and move three body parts.
Nursing facilities that Realize, Recognize, Respond to, and Resist Re-Traumatization are better equipped to provide care, safety and well-being for residents with a history of trauma. Use these 4 key assumptions to develop a trauma-informed approach.
Ensure children and adolescents are safe and that their basic needs are addressed. Allow them to be sad or cry. Let them talk, write, or draw pictures about the event and their feelings. Limit their exposure to repetitive news reports about traumatic events.
In univariate analyses, all 5 forms of childhood trauma in this study (ie, witnessing violence, physical neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse) demonstrated statistically significant relationships with the number of different aggressive behaviors reported in adulthood.
For some kids, trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But kids can recover after trauma. There is therapy that can help. Kids also need extra support and comfort from parents.
Ask your child to name 3 things they can see, identify 3 sounds they can hear, and move 3 different parts of their bodies. This mindfulness strategy helps children engage their senses and focus on reality rather than worrying about what might happen in the future.
It won't rid you of PTSD and your fears, but let your tears flow and you'll maybe feel a little better afterwards. 'Crying for long periods of time releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids, otherwise known as endorphins. These feel-good chemicals can help ease both physical and emotional pain.
The four foundational pillars (“4 Rs”) that help guide trauma-informed care are: realize, recognize, respond, and resist retraumatization. Their goal is to reduce the emotional impact of trauma, increase patient engagement, and improve treatment outcomes.
1-2-3 Magic divides the parenting responsibilities into three straightforward tasks: controlling negative behavior, encouraging good behavior, and strengthening the child-parent relationship. The program seeks to encourage gentle, but firm, discipline without arguing, yelling, or spanking.
Do:
The Golden Rules for Children – Helping to Keep Life Simple!
Signs of childhood trauma
The 10 Worst Things to Say to Someone with PTSD