Parent Handbook - MWR Fort Leonard Wood

include anticipation and redirection, distraction, gentle reminders, support of youth’s own
problem solving skills, and gentle restraint.
CYS staff encourage children to become responsible, caring individuals, to express their own
feelings, and to respect the feelings of others. Youth who experience difficulty meeting these
expectations are worked with on an individual basis. If serious behavior problems occur, parents
are informed so they can become an integral part of the resolution process. Normally youth do
not decide to misbehave. They want to do the right thing. They may misbehave due to physical
or psychological reasons, the program not meeting their needs, problems at home, or a variety of
other reasons. Working together, we are more likely to identify the problem and find strategies
to which the youth will respond.
Appropriate forms of guidance and discipline for SAS and YS programs are:
Redirection: Moving a youth from a negative situation by redirecting the youth’s
attention to more desirable/appropriate situations.
Positive Reinforcement: Encouragement given to a youth for appropriate behavior.
Extinction: Ignoring behaviors that are undesirable, but not dangerous or
destructive.
Substitution: Replacing an inappropriate expression of an activity with an
appropriate expression of the same activity.
Natural Consequences: Helping youth understand cause and effect. For example, if
a youth consistently fails to sign in at the Youth Center, he or she may be denied use of the
facility for a short number of days.
Communication: The youth leader will discuss the inappropriate behavior, as well as
expectations for future behavior with the youth after each misbehavior. This communication will
be conducted after the youth has calmed down and is receptive to the discussion.
Inappropriate forms of guidance and discipline for SAS and YS programs are:
Spanking, pinching, striking, shaking, or other corporal punishment.
Isolation for long periods.
Confinement in closets, boxes, or similar places.
Any form of binding such as to restrain movement of mouth or limb.
Humiliation or verbal abuse to include negative name-calling.
Deprivation of meals, snacks, outdoor activity participation, or other program
components. A short-term restriction on the use of specific activity materials and equipment or
participation in specific events is permissible.
Parents and staff serve as role models for our children. Staff members receive training in how
to model appropriate behavior to be a positive influence on children/youth. We ask that parents
remember that what they do and say while on the grounds influences children/youth. We ask
that parents refrain from using profanity, spanking their children, or attempting to discipline
other children/youth in our facilities. All of these behaviors can be frightening to children/youth
and cannot occur in our facilities. When these problems occur the parent will be asked to leave
the building or home and their use of programs will be jeopardized.
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