If you’ve ever stood face-to-face with a child in full-blown meltdown mode—screaming, hitting, crying, or shutting down—you know the pressure.
Your heart races. Your brain scrambles for the “right” response.
And suddenly, you’re the one feeling completely dysregulated.
This is one of the hardest truths about parenting—especially in foster care:
You can’t support a dysregulated child unless you know how to regulate yourself.
And that’s not easy when the moment feels personal, chaotic, or just plain exhausting.
Let’s break it down:
What regulation actually is (and what it’s not)
Why foster parents are more prone to dysregulation
Real strategies you can use in the moment
What to say when you freeze
And how to recover when it doesn’t go well (because sometimes, it won’t)
First 5 Scripts Freebie: https://stan.store/fearless_fostering
Foster Mama Lifeline Community: https://stan.store/fearless_fostering/p/reclaimed-mama-community-pfdw5q2k