Discipline

All parents have a different approach or view on disciplining (punishing) a child. I'm not a parent yet, so I don't have an approach...but what may work for one child, won't for another. So in a sense, not having experience, or expectations for how a child will react to discipline, is a strength. I expect to rely and focus on the child's behavior and response to discipline in order to punish effectively {without scaring the child}. It's important that parents, who may be quick to discipline a child in foster care with the same method that they discipline their own child and expect the same results, realize that a child in foster care's response and understanding of the punishment may be so, so different.

Children in foster care come from all kinds of backgrounds and all kinds of situations. Regardless, all children react differently to each measure of discipline.

The core point of the class this week is that we need to address the behavior of our child with an appropriate method of discipline (and an approved method: spanking, hitting, refusing food, etc. are against the law when fostering).

We were presented with 15 methods of discipline and, even if we don't end up fostering a child, I feel 15 times more prepared for having children biologically.