Often, when our children are agitated, irritable, or aggressive, we can default to a traditional mindset when it comes to their behavior. We mistake trauma-induced behaviors for selfishness, belligerence, and disobedience. But this comes out of a lack of understanding as to how a child with a trauma history can be triggered. In Part 2 of our special podcast series, Renewing Your Response, we not only walk through the signs of triggered behavior, but also how to respond.
In this episode we discuss…
- Our children can appear disobedient because their behaviors can escalate quickly.
- Before we react, we must take a step back and remind ourselves where this is coming from.
What are we talking about?
- The child who uses the “always” and “never” statements
- Displays of anger and frustration that may not make sense
- Sights, smells, certain seasons, or areas that can cause a child to become triggered.
- The triggers can come from something that happened years ago
How do we respond?
- Remember- their present behavior is a window into past trauma
- Respond- calm and firm
- Connection before correction- ask “how can I help you” as opposed to “what’s wrong with you?”
Also on the show….
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Thanks for stopping by this week!