Sometimes, it’s just a day gone wrong. Other times, it feels like you’re in a parenting rut. When we’re out of ideas, patience, and creativity, it can feel lonely and overwhelming to parent someone whose behaviors are challenging.

If you find yourself repeating phrases to children in your home that your parents told you growing up, you’re not alone. We learned most of our parenting techniques and discipline skills from our parents. Unfortunately, many of those techniques don’t work well with children and youth who have histories of stress, trauma, abuse, and/or neglect. The good news is that our parenting skills can grow and change—and after all, isn’t growth what we’re expecting from the kids in our care, too?

When things feel out of control, we’re often looking for that magic answer. While, unfortunately, there is no magic answer to solve the challenges of parenting when children present difficult behaviors, there are some tips and suggestions that may make things a little easier.

 

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Author: Coalition for Children, Youth & Families
Additional Author: Foster Care & Adoption Resource Center