How to Punish a Foster Child

For foster children, their placements often serve as refuge from their unwelcoming or unsafe former homes. When you foster a child, you commit yourself not only to housing him, but also to helping him handle his emotional struggles. Exercising care in punishing this potentially wounded child is a must. By adopting and clearly communicating a supportive method of discipline, you can help your foster child cope with his past while teaching him how to behave appropriately.

Instructions

    • 1

      Adopt a firm but friendly tone. Screaming at your foster child is neither appropriate nor effective. Many foster children come from homes in which screaming is the dominant form of communication and, as a result, respond poorly to raised voices. Whenever you correct the child, speak in a stern but level voice.

    • 2

      Exercise patience. Don̵7;t make a demand of the foster child and expect him to snap to it. Give him time so he can calm down and process the emotions that surround your request. If you tell your foster child to go to time-out and he doesn̵7;t immediately go, make the request again and tell him that you will be back in one minute and would like to see him in the appropriate spot when you return. Step away and give him his time and you will likely find that he complies.

    • 3

      Select punishments that are tied to the misbehavior. Sending the child to his room regardless of what he has done wrong isn̵7;t effective. To actually modify behavior, your punishment must be logical and connected to the negative behavior. For example, if the child is in trouble for calling his foster sibling a name, require that he write an apology letter, as this is clearly connected to what he did wrong.

    • 4

      Praise as profusely as possible. The Pennsylvania Code mandates that foster parents use discipline techniques that, ̶0;stress praise and encouragement.̶1; By following this mandate, you can bolster the child̵7;s self-esteem while re-training him to engage in positive behaviors instead of negative ones.

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