Trauma Mama Gift Swap 2017

Several trauma mamas and I have decided to do a small Trauma Mama gift swap. If you are a trauma mama and interested in participating, please complete your registration form (there's a copy in the comments) and email it to marythemommy at gmail dot com. 

Please be 100% sure that you are able to participate, remember there is another trauma mama who may be hurt and disappointed if you do not follow through.

One of my favorite things to do at Christmas time over the last few years is to participate in the Trauma Mama Holiday Gift Swap. Unfortunately over the years, the people sponsoring it found that doing this for large groups quickly became too much for any one person to organize. For one reason or another, many people did not honor their obligations (which I totally understand as we are all trauma mamas and Christmas time is HARD!) so many mamas did not receive gifts. Many others tried to step in and fill the gaps, but a lot of needy mamas were hurt and disappointed.

Over the years, I have participated in a small group exchanges, one on one swaps with another mom, and been an "angel" to a trauma mama who could not afford a gift for her child or herself. I'm so glad to be in a place in my life where I can do this.

If anyone wants to organize their own gift swap or just exchange with a friend, here's a form I adapted from the From Survival to Serenity 2012 trauma mama holiday gift swap. I found it to be particularly helpful in finding just the right gifts. I hope this will inspire you to start your own group or just a one on one swap with another mom. Moms deserve special gifts under the tree too!

Trauma Mamas Holiday Gift Swap Registration

Please complete at least the required questions marked with an asterisk. All other "Get to Know You" questions are optional, but please do keep in mind that the more questions you answer, the better the person who gets your name will be able to connect with you. It will also help us in creating matches based on similar situations, geographic areas, interests, etc.

**Hint** If you would like to answer the "Getting to Know You" questions, but don't have time to complete the whole form all at once, write out your answers in a word processing program and then cut and paste them into the form boxes when you're ready to send it in. 

Registration forms are due no later than November 21. All matches will be made on or before November 22. 

Unless there are special circumstances that need to be considered, packages should be mailed to their recipients no later than December 14. 
International packages will need to be shipped no later than December 1. We learned from sad experience that if they're shipped any later than that, they don't arrive before Christmas, even when they're coming from or going to Canada.

* Required

Contact and Shipping Information*
Name (first and last):*
Shipping Address:*
E-mail:*

Other Contact Information:
Examples: Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, etc. You are also welcome to include a phone number or whatever other contact information you wish and/or feel comfortable sharing.


Getting to Know You
These questions aren't required, but the more you share, the more the mama who gets your name will be able to get a feel for who YOU are outside of being a trauma mama. Finding a gift that will be enjoyed by the recipient is a big part of the fun.

Not only does this information help her be able to put together a special gift for you, but it will also help us in deciding who you ultimately get matched with.

One of the most fun aspects of participating in an event like this is finding others to add to your circles of support and friendship. If matches can be made among people with similar interests or family situations or whatever, they will be. Unless otherwise noted, these answers (along with your contact information) will be shared with the person you are matched with.

Briefly describe yourself. Share whatever you want about what makes you you.

• Your personality
• General age
• Your profession / how do you spend your time
• Any special talents

Share a bit about your family.

• How many kids you have and their ages
• Bio or adopted? If adopted, how old were they at adoption? Where were they adopted from?
• What special needs do they have?
• What type of activities do you enjoy participating in with your family?
• Are you married, in a relationship, single?

If you had spare time for hobbies or interests, what would they be?



What are your top 3 favorite movies?
...the ones you could watch over and over again and only love them more each time you see them.


What are your favorite colors?
...both for decorating and for wearing?


What is your decorating style?
funky, contemporary, eclectic, shabby-chic, country, traditional, minimalist…


Do you collect anything in particular? 
(coins, figurines, butterflies, angels, snowmen, etc)


What are some of your favorite things?
These would be things you love and enjoy having in your life and in your space


What type of gifts would you most like? 
things to pamper yourself, accessories, crafts, soft cuddly items, inspirational items, food treats, things you collect…


What types of things do you dislike?
This would be things you smile sweetly at initially, but then they secretly end up in the trash bin later on.


Do you have any allergies? Gluten free? Caffeine free?  Include food, chemical, metal, etc


What are your favorite foods and/or beverages? Do you drink alcohol?


Do you have any dietary restrictions and/or preferences?


What are your 3 most favorite restaurants?


What stores do you like to shop at when looking for a little something special for yourself?


Is there anything else you'd like to share? ie: a particular religious affiliation, perhaps you celebrate a holiday other than Christmas, any unique life circumstances or situations, etc.

Commitments

I am 100% committed to participating in this event. *(Yes/ No)
100% commitment means that I acknowledge and understand there is a very real mama with very real feelings on the other end of this swap. She's also a trauma mama who's been in or is still in the trenches just like I am. She's very likely put much of herself into preparing something special for another mama. I want her to receive something special this holiday season to remind her that she is loved, that the work she's doing is worth it, and that she's not alone. It would be very sad for her to be looking forward to receiving something special from a potential new friend, but not have it arrive. I will make sure that doesn't happen!

What if I need to back out? *(Yes/ No)
If circumstances arise and I'm unable to keep my participation commitment, I will notify one of the organizers as quickly as possible so another match can be found for my assigned mama.

Shipping Confirmation *(Yes/ No)
I promise to ship my package using a method that can be tracked, even if I have to pay a little bit extra in order to make that happen. I want to make sure my mama actually gets my package once I've sent it.

I can help with this event by...
If you have the time, sanity, and desire to help make sure this event continues to be a fun and fulfilling experience for everyone, please let us know.

I can help with event coordination and logistics if needed.
Should the need arise, I can help with the coordination efforts and logistics of this event. I am willing to help out by working with the other event coordinators, sending emails to other participants as needed, or doing whatever else is needed to make sure the logistics of this event are manageable.
•  Yes/No

I am willing and able to ship my package internationally if needed
•   Yes/No

I am willing and able to be an "Angel Mama" if needed.
Should the need arise, I can help out by putting together a second package for a second mama. Feel free to contact me if you need some help in this area.
•  Yes/No

If you have a question or want a copy of the form emailed to you, please feel free to leave a comment on this post (Comments are moderated. I will not publish any comments with personal information like emails).

There's a form in the comment section. 

To participate you must email this completed form to marythemommy at gmail dot com. 

Be sure to add this email to your safe senders list so you will receive updates.

Why Won't My Child Just Behave?!

Kids do well if they CAN. This has nothing to do with whether or not they want to. 

Our role is not to make him want to, he already does. Our role is to figure out what is getting in his way, and help him. Changing our focus to finding out what is challenging him, helps both the child and ourselves. - Dr. Ross Greene

FINDING THE JOY
I know that, for myself, understanding why my child is acting this way makes it feel a lot less like a personal attack. It's much easier to feel empathetic, and I'm less likely to be personally triggered by it. HOWEVER, just because I understand why my child is acting this way doesn't mean it doesn't drain my emotional reserves. To remain a calm, therapeutic parent (vs a raving lunatic) requires a ton of Self-Care.
(For help figuring out how to achieve this state, check out this post - Finding the Joy)

Identifying the Challenges 

We don't always know why children (especially children of trauma) act the way they do.  It’s possible that they just want to watch adults get all agitated, maybe they want adults to fight to distract them from the child (and thus avoid conflict), or maybe they're trying to recreate the chaos that their brains are used to and therefore it feels comfortable and familiar - often they were "pickled" in adrenaline (or alcohol) in utero... 

Age-Appropriate Parenting

Trauma can cause significant delays in development (emotionally, socially, intellectually...).  Frequent moves and other traumatic life events can also cause delays or even get them stuck at the age the trauma occurred.  Emotionally "triggering" events can cause a child to regress to a much younger age.  Most kids with PTSD (and brain damage from RAD) have a tough time with processing, memory, object permanence, emotional regulation...  

Expecting a child to "act his/her age," can cause frustration and anger for both of you.

Preoperational Stage - 

From age 2-6, children are in the "Pre-operations" stage which means they create meaning through fantasy.  They are very visual and must touch or feel everything.  

Object Permanence

Kids with arrested development at the Preoperational stage (which is common for children of trauma) are not able to understand how we can infer things without seeing them. If you can't see it, Mom, it didn't happen. You can't know.  

Let me say that again! If you didn't see it, you couldn't know!   (More posts on Object Permanence and Object Permanence (cont).} A child without a grasp of Object Permanence can feel that you are punishing them for no reason at all! 

• Toddlers (~2 - 3 years)
  Toddlers don't play with other children, but instead, do what we call parallel play.  
• Pre-schoolers (~3 - 4 years)
  It's not until empathy develops at age 3 or 4 that they start to be aware of their playmates' needs and feelings. 
  Having no Empathy means that prior to this age they don't understand that their actions (biting, hitting, yelling...) hurts others. When they're toddlers this is not such a big deal. When they are teens...
• Early School Age (~5 - 6 years)
  Magical Thinking/ Distorted Reality - Around age 5 or 6, children go through the "magical thinking" stage.  They can want something so badly that they believe it, so it is true. I firmly believe that they could pass a lie detector on this. It becomes their reality and I don't believe they even remember that wasn't how it happened.
   {This post has more info on brain development, including why kids Lie and Steal}

Concrete Operational Stage
6-10 years
Concrete/ Black and White Thinking – Children under the age of 10 are concrete thinkers, and their brain is not yet wired to grasp abstract concepts at all.  

I tend to try to teach using examples and analogies (especially when natural or logical consequences don’t work).  My kids could NOT get it. 
For example, if I used as an example how they handled or could have handled a previous issue, most of the time they were instantly triggered into “fight, flight or freeze mode” because they felt they were being punished for this past transgression.  If I tried using an example or analogy, like the “Boy Who Cried Wolf, ” they just couldn’t generalize it to the current situation. They had no idea why I was bringing it up.

Children with arrested development at the Concrete Operational Stage (which is common for children with trauma issues),

Are not able to learn from:

• peer or parent role modeling (watching others to see how they handle situations)

• natural or logical consequences

• examples or analogies 

because often, they can't generalize one situation to another. 

Formal Operational Stage
12 years - young adult
Thinking becomes much more sophisticated and advanced. Kids can think about abstract and theoretical concepts and use logic to come up with creative solutions to problems. Skills such as logical thought, deductive reasoning, and systematic planning also emerge during this stage.

How We Handled Age-Appropriate Parenting:

I try to parent based on the child's emotional age 
Therapeutic Parenting Based on Developmental/Emotional Age
Explaining Age-Appropriate Parenting To Your Child
Age-Appropriate Therapeutic Parenting for the Adult Child

Discipline Versus Behavior Problems

Trauma, especially Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) can cause permanent brain damage and the brain has to be taught how to work around it 

Discipline problems (noncompliance, misbehavior) occur when the caregivers have not structured the child's environment for success or when parents are inconsistent (expectations or consequences), non-responsive, or inaccessible. When adults adjust their behaviors and attitudes, often children with discipline problems can be brought under control in as few as 3 to 7 days.

Behavior problems on the other hand lie within the child. These are persistent behaviors that do not disappear even with the best parenting (although therapeutic parenting can help to control the behaviors). These can include impulsivity, inattentiveness, immaturity, and other behaviors and issues caused by trauma and mental health disorders - C-PTSD, RAD, ADHD, FASD, anxiety, brain injuries and other behaviors associated with missing capacities like object relations and empathy.

{Chap. 2 Discipline vs. Behavior Problems}

YOU CAN NOT EXPECT PUNISHMENT OR DISCIPLINE

TO "FIX" BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS!

Let me say that again.

YOU CAN NOT EXPECT PUNISHMENT OR DISCIPLINE

TO "FIX" BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS!

Having behavior problems is like being born with poor eyesight. No amount of punishment or control is going to fix this problem. Glasses will help. However, the parent will be responsible for taking the child for regular eye check-ups, teaching him/her how to care for the glasses, and restricting activities where the glasses are likely to break. The goal is that by the time the child is 18, he/she will be ready and able to take full responsibility for the care of his own eyes and glasses.

How We Handled Behavior Problems:
I try to remind myself that my kids are SCARED, and punishment for something that was out of their control is not just mean, it is pointless. 

As children emotionally heal, you will most likely start to see some improvement in behavior problems. Therapeutic parenting, Therapy, Structure, and Medications can help a child heal. In the meantime, we need to focus on taking care of ourselves so that we can help the child with healing. {Finding the Joy, Handling Continuous Traumatic Stress(CTS) - When Your PTSD is Not Post/Past Yet} 

I can hear you thinking, "My kid's behavior was horrible today! He doesn't deserve to go on a fun outing. He'll think he's won.

I get it, but he may not deserve it, but he needs it. We tried to balance this so it didn't feel like a reward and wasn't a "blank slate" (forget it ever happened). Plus, if we stayed home, or one parent stayed home, then the family couldn't go anywhere or do anything together.. because someone was always in trouble). 

Our solution? All the children were allowed to go on "family activities" (or if the activity was overwhelming or triggering for a child, we found something else for that child to do with a trusted adult). If the whole family was doing something together, like going to the park, or the movies, or out to eat... then the child could go. We wanted there to be obvious rewards to being part of our family.

Not Feeling Safe

Children NEED to feel safe to start to heal.   This feeling of safety is not about physical safety and often isn't based on reality – it is a perceived feeling of safety.

A child who feels unsafe is a scared child. A scared child will act out (or act in) to try to feel safe again.

Just like our kids keep using old defense mechanisms that are no longer needed, our kids with scary, traumatic early childhoods often get stuck in the feeling that they are not safe.

This is a life-or-death feeling! 

Feeling unsafe is not rational. You can't explain to the child that they're safe now. Logic doesn't work. Feelings of being unsafe can pop up at the most unexpected times (just like PTSD flashbacks can).  

Generally, this feeling of being unsafe will fade as our child heals, but there will probably always be times when it comes up again. For a good explanation of why kids with trauma issues don't feel safe see: The Frozen Lake Story (at the bottom of this post) by Nancy Thomas.

“Children who don't feel safe in infancy have trouble regulating their moods and emotional responses as they grow older. By Kindergarten, many disorganized infants are either aggressive or spaced out and disengaged, and they go on to develop a range of psychiatric problems. They also show more physiological stress, as expressed in heart rate, heart rage variability, stress hormone responses, and lowered immune factors. Does this kind of biological dysregulation automatically reset to normal as a child matures or is moved to a safe environment? So far as we know, it does not.” ~ The Body Keeps the Score, Beseel A van der Kolk, M.D.

For a fantastic explanation of safety and why it is so important - plus what to do about it, I highly recommend the video Chaos to Healing - Therapeutic Parenting 101 which explains Daniel Hughes P.A.C.E concept in an easy-to-understand and practical way. One of the presenters in this video is therapeutic parent and coach, Christine Moers. I HIGHLY recommend it.

War Zone
Children of trauma are often easily triggered, extremely sensitive to emotions, unable to regulate their emotions... causing them to react as if they are in a warzone.  You can't learn, attach, and heal if you don't feel safe and you're living in a war zone! 

How We Handled Not Feeling Safe: 

Our kids need to feel safe and loved. {Why Doesn't My Child Feel Safe?} 
That meant I couldn’t punish them by taking away all fun stuff (even though I wanted to!!!) {A post on Consequences vs Privileges}

Our kids NEED Rules, Structure, Support, Routines, and Boundaries to feel safe.



Additional Challenges:

Attention Seeking? 

At first, my daughter's nonsense questions and babbling about TV shows or the latest drama at school (things and people I know nothing and care nothing about), felt like she was trying to keep all the focus on her and/or drive me crazy. I found myself starting to avoid her. Then I noticed a pattern. When she was feeling anxious and overwhelmed, she started doing what my mom called "pressured speech." 

 

Nonsense chatter

I really can’t stop talking cos you might forget I’m here

It keeps your focus on me as I bend your weary ear

Lots and lots of nonsense questions

I just switch off from your objections

 

What’s the purple-ist purple that you have ever seen

What are we having for dinner and why is the grass green

I’m scared I’ll be invisible if I cease to babble on

I need to keep your interest to feel like I belong

 

I cannot sit here quietly cos of wobbles in my belly

So I make lots of noise and I interrupt the telly

What if you don’t feed me or make me go away

You’ll always know I’m here if I’ve got lots to say

 

It’s all about survival and making sure you’re near

The nonsense in my questions stem from all my fear

I know this drives you crazy and can make you feel insane

It all comes from my trauma and underdeveloped brain

 

I need your reassurance that you’ve not forgotten me

Let me know you’ll listen when you’ve finished cooking tea

Try to be more playful and say your ears are full

But they’ll be far more empty when I get home from school

 

If my questions are ridiculous, relay them back to me

It’ll interrupt my trauma and might be quite funny

Gently touch my shoulder and remind me that you’re there

Let me know you understand the need behind my fear

 

And lastly but not least, please do not forget

Developmentally I’m younger and my brain’s not caught up yet!

 

Sarah Dillon - National Association of Therapeutic Parents

 

How We Handled It

When I realized this behavior was caused by anxiety, it made it easier to provide Calming Techniques and fight to make her world smaller and less overwhelming (by providing Structure and Caring Support). 


Empty Bucket
It makes me crazy that my kids can behave all day at school, and then come home and be whiny, requiring my constant attention. be demanding (especially to me), picking fights, picking on siblings, getting into arguments with everyone, refusing to do even the simplest chore or task... {For more information about why they act this way, check out the post - If You Find Out I'm Not Perfect, You'll Leave.}

I believe that this is what happens with our children too. They work so hard behaving in front of other people, that when they get home, they have no emotional reserves (spoons) left. They trust us enough to let us see that they're not perfect 
{And yes, I often wish my kids didn't trust me this much! That's why I do a LOT of Self-Care!} 

My Spoon Theory
The original Spoon Theory is about a woman with Lupus explaining to a friend, that she gets a finite number of physical activities per day (represented by spoons) and that every task costs her one of her spoons. She often runs out of spoons before the end of the day. 

I believe that a lot of children of trauma have a similar issue, and "run out of spoons" by the end of the day (or well before the end of the day because unlike an adult, a child is unable to estimate how many spoons they have and regulate what to use them on.


But Things Were Going So Well!/ Regression
One step forward, two steps back. Our kids feel deep down that they are unworthy and unlovable. The child is terrified that if people found out what he/ she was "really like, " then they would leave him/ her. {If You Find Out I'm Not Perfect, You'll Leave.}

{When Kitty trusted me enough to admit this fear out loud, I think she was finally ready to start healing. I feel the best thing I did was reassure her that I already knew she wasn't "perfect" and I still loved her. That I wasn't going to leave because she didn't/ couldn't behave, and sometimes took joy in causing chaos.}

A kid who is doing well might suddenly seem to sabotage their success. Sometimes, I think when things are going too well, my kids get scared and pull back.

This could be due to:

• A Traumaversary, Birthday, Trauma Trigger, Holiday, Change in Routine...
• They "know" things are going to go wrong, so they self-sabotage things to take back control - by controlling when it happens it makes them feel in control and safe. 
• The need to protect themselves from what they consider your inevitable rejection by rejecting/ pushing you away. 
• They feel they don't deserve good things to happen to them.
• They expect the other shoe to drop. Historically if good things happen to the child, they are followed by bad things (usually involving great loss) - so our kids avoid the good things to make losing them hurt less. 
• They're afraid that if they're doing well, then you'll raise the bar on your expectations and expect them to keep it up (which is a lot of pressure).
• They "know" they're going to mess up, so they go ahead and get it over with.
• Good behavior often leads to higher expectations and more freedom and privileges. Privileges that the child may be afraid they can't handle (and actually may not be able to handle!).
  {Bear NEEDED a high amount of structure and support to feel safe - he did very well in a structured, supportive environment and there was a lot of pressure put on us as parents to "reward" that success by putting him in less restrictive environments - where he inevitably failed. I personally believe that failure was often (sub-conscious?) self-sabotage to get put back in the more restrictive environment.}

Small Window of Tolerance/ Easily Overwhelmed
Overreacting to things you or I might consider minor. 

Window of tolerance is a term used to describe the zone of arousal in which a person is able to function most effectively. When people are within this zone, they are typically able to readily receive, process, and integrate information and otherwise respond to the demands of everyday life without much difficulty. This optimal window was first named as such by Dan Siegel.

During times of extreme stress, people often experience periods of either hyper- or hypo-arousal.

• Hyper-arousal, otherwise known as the fight/flight response, is often characterized by hypervigilance, feelings of anxiety and/or panic, and racing thoughts.

• Hypo-arousal, or a freeze response, may cause feelings of emotional numbness, emptiness, or paralysis.

People who have experienced a traumatic event may respond to stressors, even minor ones, with extreme hyper- or hypo-arousal. As a result of their experiences, they may come to believe the world is unsafe and may operate with a window of tolerance that has become more narrow or inflexible as a result. A narrowed window of tolerance may cause people to perceive danger more readily and react to real and imagined threats with either a fight/flight response or a freeze response.

Dysregulation and Meltdowns

A child who is Dysregulated and/or in fight/ flight/ freeze mode is “thinking” with the reptilian part of the brain (survival!).  In other words, they are not thinking at all.

Their behavior is a purely instinctual response to what the brain believes is a life-or-death situation.

How We Handled Dysregulation: 

Helping my dysregulated child feel safe and calm was the best way to help them return to their window of tolerance. {See posts - Dysregulation and Meltdowns; Why Doesn't My Child Feel Safe?; Calming/ Relaxation Techniques}. 

I found that Structure and Caring Support was the most helpful long-term for helping them widen their window of tolerance.  

Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) 
Be prepared for your child to blame you for their past (usually, the mom gets the brunt of this). My daughter recently admitted to seeing one of her past abuser's face everywhere - on walls, and particularly - over my husband's face. She hates "him," rages at him, tells him he is mean and evil, accuses him of yelling at her (even though Hubby isn't even raising his voice), and she dissociates.

When in a meltdown, Kitty mentally shuts down - we call it "freeze." She acts instinctively to protect herself. It's difficult not to hold her accountable when she rages during these times, but we've learned to wait until she's calm and then process what led up to the event so we can help her prevent re-occurrences. There are times when she doesn't remember the event at all.

Kids in a PTSD flashback are overwhelmed and in fight/ flight or freeze. It’s difficult to learn math and spelling when you’re in the middle of a war zone! 

How We Handled PTSD: 
Get a good therapist who understands and has experience working with adopted/foster kids with trauma. We love our EMDR therapist for our daughter but still use a good attachment therapist too. Don't be afraid to "fire" the therapist if it's not a good personality match. {PTSD in Children}

EMDR therapy is the most recommended therapy for people with PTSD. It is most often used by soldiers and victims of trauma (like rape or being in a natural disaster), and usually only requires 2-3 sessions.  Obviously, people who have suffered from long-term trauma (Complex PTSD), such as child abuse, would most likely require more sessions.  

There are no Medications specifically for treating PTSD, but with good therapy and meds that help with the child's symptoms, the child can recognize the effects of the trauma, learn to cope, and move on to dealing with the cause of the trauma.

Holidays, Birthdays, School, and Other Traumaversaries
At our house, the acting out and meltdowns were always worse around Holidays, Traumaversaries, Starting or Ending school, Birthdays... When I wasn't so frustrated at them I could scream, I pulled them in. I reminded myself that they were terrified. This was life or death to them, and they couldn't really handle change or added stress (this has gotten better as they healed). Even my bio kids reacted this way, just not to this extreme. 

(Helpful post - Handling Meltdowns and Dysregulation)



Puberty
Puberty sucks. Those hormones rushing around adds a whole new layer of fun. The good news is that while ages 13 and 14 were horrible for my kids (both bio and adopted), things got better after that. 

More info in this post - The Teen Years



Co-Morbid Diagnoses
Children with trauma issues usually have more going on than just one issue - attachment disorders, physical and sexual abuse, PTSD, RAD bipolar disorder, ADHD, FAS/FAE... caseworkers will not or cannot tell you all of what caused these issues, and often symptoms overlap and appear to be other things. For example, I don't think I've ever heard of a child with RAD that didn't also have PTSD. 

{Overlapping Diagnoses in Children, Chart for Overlapping Behavior Characteristics.




Some Things That Helped Us Handle Behavior Issues

PRIORITIZING YOURSELF, YOUR FAMILY, AND YOUR CHILD - IN THAT ORDER!

MY TOP 10ISH THINGS I COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT

STRUCTURE AND CARING SUPPORT Helping your child feel safe by providing the structure they need/ crave. Most of all, I gave my kids a LOT of structure and support. {Structure and Caring Support} Our kids need so much more than other kids, especially when they are overwhelmed and Dysregulated. {Handling Meltdowns and Dysregulation}

We went back to line-of-sight supervision, time-ins instead of timeouts, removed as many overwhelming events as possible (not just avoiding throngs of people in places like sporting events and the park, but also places like the grocery store and Sunday School). Yes, there were things I could do little about (school/ daycare), but I could talk to the teachers and minimize as much stress as possible.

When stress was high, my kids’ life was like being in the FAIR Club (our family discipline method), but without actually being in the FAIR Club {Using the FAIR Club with Children of Trauma}

COCOONING
I tried to find calm, quiet, but still fun, things to do {Trapped in The House: Activities for Kids} so they wouldn't feel punished (taking a walk, letter parties … ). This wasn't about being in trouble or loss, they'd had enough of that; this was about making their life smaller. So they would feel SAFE.

SCHOOL
I worked with the school to try to find ways to reduce my child's stress there. {Anxiety Scale}

SIMPLIFY
At home, I did things like strip their room {Decluttering} because even with me helping them clean, it was overwhelming. So I did it when they weren't there, although I let them know ahead of time.  I left nothing but a bed, a book/ quiet toy, and a stuffed animal, at one point I even had my daughter's dresser in my room, and she "checked out" her clothing by bringing me the dirty ones, THIS WAS NOT A PUNISHMENT. I tried to find ways to help them understand that. For example, cleaning their room would be a lot easier now! (Explaining Age-Appropriate Parenting to Your Child), 

CALMING TECHNIQUES
Effective techniques for helping a child calm down or stay calm. I used Calming Techniques a LOT.

PLACE

Playfulness: Don't take our kids or our life so seriously. When things are tense find a way to lighten the moment. (NO SARCASM)

Love: Loving eyes, loving hands, loving voice. Never give up. Never quit.

Attunement: talking through problems and allowing yourself to become in tune with what your child is saying....no matter how ridiculous, follow the conversation. Be accepting as you move through the problem. (if you are uncomfortable with this, ask yourself how much good has come from trying to get them to admit they have done something wrong)

Curious about this ridiculous story and about what might be, about what might be hard to say, about what has happened? (I'm wondering if I had broken the lamp if I might be afraid to say so)

Empathy: I get how you feel. I feel what you feel. I see the sadness/fear in your eyes. I know it is hard to talk about big feelings.

For more about PLACE, check out this post: Creating PLACE: Parenting to Create a Sense of Safety by Daniel Hughes 

SELF-CARE!
A lot of time I screwed up. I lost my cool. I gave up.  Here's what I did to fill my empty bucket so I could handle my kids.

• I did a LOT of Self-Care - Caring for the Caregiver because this is HARD WORK. 
• I forgave myself for not wanting to even be around my kids sometimes, which was REALLY HARD because I was experiencing Continuous Traumatic Stress (CST) which is like PTSD but without the "Post" part because I was still experiencing it every day.
• Daily, I had to put on my big girl panties and work on Finding the Joy. I apologized to my child for not keeping them safe, and started over. {Why Doesn't My Child Feel Safe?}
• Then went back to doing ATTACHMENT THERAPY and THERAPEUTIC PARENTING 

As the child heals and attaches to you, he/ she feels safer. Being a Therapeutic Parent SUCKS, but it does get better.

CRISIS PLANS
Setting up a plan with the child's school, caregivers, treatment team... to determine ahead of time, what to do if the child starts feeling unsafe and acting out or acting in.

ANXIETY SCALE 
A concrete method of determining how a child is feeling.

CONSEQUENCE vs PRIVILEGES 
Thinking outside the box (letting the kids help)

DEVELOPMENTAL AGE-APPROPRIATE LEVELS
A concrete plan used to explain to the treatment team why the child is being given privileges and responsibilities more appropriate to a younger child (hint: because the child is dysregulated and doesn't feel safe!)

THE FAIR CLUB - At first, we used the FAIR Club for discipline, but then we discovered that it could be used as a starting point for the structured lifestyle our kids with trauma issues needed.

BUILDING SECURE ATTACHMENT
Secure attachment requires the development of object permanence and constancy.

There are three basic steps to this process:

1. Building Safety. You cannot attach or love if you do not feel safe. Safety for kids of trauma comes from routines and security (which can be things like physical holds and alarms on the door, but also regular meal and bedtime routines). Parents MUST provide for basic needs (food, shelter, warmth) routinely and predictably, BUT feeling safe takes time. It took many years for them to feel unsafe and not trust, You can't expect them to trust just because you know they're safe now. It takes time to unlearn those defense mechanisms that once were necessary for survival.  {Why Doesn't My Child Feel Safe?}
2. Falling in Love. Dopamine is a brain chemical that makes everything seem more fun and interesting. We cannot fall in love without positive fun and interaction.
   
   Think about this. You would not walk up to someone and say, "Hey, what's your name? Hi Larry, you're going to be my new husband. You will live in my house, take my last name, and do all the chores on this honey-do list. You are not allowed to talk about your other life. Your wife was mean and she does not love you like I do. You love me and I love you.... say it! Say you love me!" ---------------
   
   ---------- Of course, you wouldn't do this! You get to know each other. You date. You have fun, conversations, and play together.
3. Claiming and Belonging. This cannot come first! You need the other steps to come first. You also must honor the child's choice to be a member of the family or not and shift roles accordingly. 

Until a child is a member of the family they should receive "The Basic Package" accommodations.

• Provide a "structure and rehabilitation" environment (vs. "love and affection" environment). {Structure and Caring Support}
• Meet the child's basic needs for food, shelter, and warmth.
• Provide affection in response to the child's demonstration of affection, but only if it's appropriate.
• Draw attention to the "giving and taking" that is part of every interaction. {Reciprocity}
• Give and allow consequences that will evoke caring behaviors. {Therapeutic Parenting and The FAIR Club}

Katharine suggests no chores or family expectations until your child is part of your family. Even the names "Mom" and "Dad" are nicknames that grow out of love and can wait until later to be used.

"The Luxury Package" Accommodation
Basic package plus "family perks"

• All things that children don't need, but come out of the goodness of a parent's heart (ex. extra-curricular activities, chauffeur services, vacations, parties, dinners out).
• To qualify for this package a child has to mutually satisfy parental needs in some ways, most of the time.

Earning the Luxury Package
A child can "upgrade" by performing certain family-friendly behaviors.
How do you know whether or not your child has given enough to deserve an upgrade and is ready to be part of the family?

Close your eyes and picture a child. How do you feel when you look at this child? Do you feel happy and loving? Do you feel warmth?

Any time you wonder if your child is ready, close your eyes and picture your child. Does the thought of your child make you feel warm and happy? A joy to your heart as opposed to sadness, emptiness, rejection, or fear? {Positive Behaviors}

Until the child makes you feel this way he or she is not ready to be part of the family. It cannot be earned or forced. It is a feeling.

A relationship is defined as a MUTUAL satisfaction of needs.

• There is no mutual well-being if a parent is providing luxury accommodations and the child is not earning the perks.
• The child will be momentarily happy (as long as the perks keep coming), but the parent will not.
• The ramifications to your child's development and the parent-child relationship go much deeper than happiness.

So here's what happens:

1. The parent receives little or no positive response from the child and often the child is neglectful of and abusive to the parent. Without either one's needs being met, and unable to "exit" the relationship, there can be little to no feelings of attachment (leaving resentment and apathy).
2. The parent's natural frustrations, disappointments, feelings of being used up, resentments, and demands from the child... are viewed as weaknesses, even emotional disabilities (unresolved issues) that require therapeutic interventions. Therapists blame the parents for their bad feelings about the child or might switch to the more willing "client" ignoring the elephant in the room.... which causes a lack of faith in therapy for the parent.
3. Everyone presumes that if the child's needs are met he or she will naturally begin to reciprocate. Loving the child and satisfying his or her needs is not enough. The child MUST be taught how to be in a relationship. 

ROLE MODELING DOES NOT WORK WITH OUR CHILDREN

WHAT I'VE LEARNED:

• No matter how much healing my child does, if I've allowed myself to become completely drained, then I have no emotional reserves left. You can't fill from an empty cup. {Self-Care! Caring for the Caregiver!}
• It took me a long time, but I finally realized I needed to change my priorities or I and my whole family would suffer. {Prioritizing Yourself, Your Marriage, Your Family, and Your Child - In That Order!} 
• Understanding WHY my child is acting this way helps me be more empathetic and provide my child with the most effective support {Secure Attachment}
• I'm working hard to remember that I didn't cause this and it most likely isn't "fixable," especially this late in his life. {You Haven't Failed }
• Pouring everything I have into him doesn't work so I shouldn't feel guilty for not wanting to do it anymore. {Relationships and Relationships (cont.)}
• I have a right to grieve the child/relationship I thought I was getting. {Finding the Joy}
• He doesn't "deserve" all the privileges of being part of this family... they're hurting him not helping him. I need to provide the structure he actually needs and the caring support that I hope will lead to attachment. {Structure and Caring Support}
• I need to set up fun times with positive interactions so we have the opportunity to fall in love instead of focusing on punishment and chores.
• This post has more information about how the {Basic Plan vs Luxury (Family) Plan} looked as the kids moved into their late teens, and we decided to revisit it to remind them of the difference between living like a boarder vs the privileges that came with being part of the family. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
 If You Find Out I'm Not Perfect You'll Leave 
Why Doesn't My Child Feel Safe?
CHRISTINE MOERS, therapeutic parent and coach. See her YouTube videos and check out her blog, CHAOS TO HEALING - Therapeutic Parenting 101 video which explains Daniel Hughes P.A.C.E concept in an easy-to-understand and practical way.

THE FROZEN LAKE STORY by Nancy Thomas

 "In order to understand what an unattached child feels like, one must understand his perspective. Imagine that you are the young child who must cross a frozen lake in the autumn to reach your home. As you are walking across the lake alone, you fall suddenly and unexpectedly through the ice. Shocked and cold in the dark, you can't even cry for help. You struggle for your very life, you struggle to the surface. Locating the jagged opening, you drag yourself through the air and crawl back into the woods from where you started. You decide to live there and never, never to return onto the ice. As weeks go by you see others on the ice skating and crossing the ice. If you go onto it, you will die."

"Your family across the pond hears the sad news that the temperature will drop to sub-zero this night. So a brave and caring family member (that is you, the parent!) searches and finds you to bring you home to love and warmth. The family member attempts to help you cross the ice by supporting and encouraging, pulling and prodding. You, believing you will die, fight for your life by kicking, screaming, punching and yelling (even obscenities) to get the other person away from you. Every effort is spent in attempting to disengage from this family member. The family member fights for your life, knowing you must have the love and warmth of home for your very survival. They take the blows you dish out and continue to pull you across the ice to home, knowing it's your only chance."

"The ice represents the strength of the bond and your ability to trust. It was damaged by the break in your connection to someone you trusted. Some children have numerous bonding breaks throughout their young lives. This is like crashing them into the ice water each time they are moved, scarring and chilling their hearts against ever loving and bonding again."