The Baffling Behavior Show {Parenting after Trauma} REPLAY: Strategies for Oppositional Behavior- Part 2
Dec 26, 2025
Discover how to foster felt safety in children to reduce oppositional behavior. Explore cultural beliefs around parent-child dynamics and learn to use adult brains to invite cooperation. Gain insights on creating supportive environments and understanding a child's inner world. Delve into bodily needs and the impact of movement on emotional regulation. Robyn emphasizes the importance of adult self-regulation and offers practical strategies to bridge connections and provide repair when needed.
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Offer Safety, Don't Force It
- Remember felt-safety offerings are invitations, not forceful attempts to 'yank' someone into safety.
- Approach with connection-mode energy; offering safety while in protection mode will often fail.
Three Sources Of Felt Safety
- Felt safety arises from three sources: the child's inner world, their environment, and the relational space between people.
- Deb Dana and Stephen Porges frame these cues as coming from inside, outside, and between, guiding where to offer safety.
Prioritize Basic Internal Needs
- Check basic internal needs first: hunger, thirst, sleep, bathroom, and movement before blaming willfulness.
- Offer movement or sensory input proactively to help dysregulated kids shift toward connection mode.
