10 Effective Techniques to Help Your Child Calm Down

Parenting is full of those 'hold your breath' moments, especially when our little ones are on the brink of a meltdown.

Teaching our kids effective techniques on how to calm down can be very daunting for most parents. It's challenging to teach something that you continue to practice and master yourself. Teaching these kids how to calm down at a very young age can make you doubt yourself as a parent as well.

Are these little ones understanding what I am explaining? Is this skill too overwhelming for them?

Parents around the world can feel you. Fret not; here are proven, realistic, and effective techniques to help your child calm down.

How To Help Your Child Calm Down

1. The 'Big Breath' Game:

You can introduce your kids gradually to calming down; it does not need to be drastic, and you don't need a full-on speech with this one. Just start by pretending to play a game where you take the biggest breath you can and blow imaginary balloons.

2. The Cozy Hideaway:

If you have already introduced your kids to a timeout, why not introduce another timeout called "create your hideaway." Let them play house using your throw blanket and pillow—a hideaway spot where her kids go to calm down. Simple and effective.

3. Our Calming Mantra:

Chanting a mantra when you get more annoyed will help both you and your child. Come up with a phrase like "Keep cool like a swimming pool," along with taking deep breaths.

4. Mindfulness Through Coloring:

Those adult coloring books? It turns out kids love them too. It's a fun way for them to focus and find their zen.

5. Shake It Off with a Dance:

When things are going the right way according to their body language, you can always try to mitigate the situation by playing their favorite dance song. Choose a song that is upbeat instead of a lullaby to mitigate the situation. Hearing their favorite songs might take away their grumpiness.

6. Stick With the Routine

Numerous moms have vouched for having a routine and sticking to it. This will include wake-up time, bath times, snacks, playtime, and nap time. Having this regularity will help very young kids keep their cool, as they know what to expect already.

7. Storytime with a Twist:

If the concept of calming down is still foreign to the child, one of the most effective techniques to use is introducing the concept through story time gently and little by little.

8. Express Yourself:

You set up an 'art station' in the corner of your kitchen. When words fail, give your child the safe space and venue to express themselves in other ways.

9. Be All Ears:

Above the effective strategies I could give, I've learned that sometimes, our job is just to listen. No fixing, no advice - just being there and acknowledging their feelings and meeting their needs.

10. Keeping My Cool:

The best way I've found to teach calmness? Demonstrating it myself. The best role model your child can have at a young age will be you. However, strike a balance between knowing how to calm down and reminding them not to suppress their feelings.

At the end of the day, every child is uniquely different from one another, what can work for others, may not end up working for us and that is completely valid. Kids awareness grows on their own timeline.

The key to it all is being a present parent in their life and helping them navigate big emotions, especially when emotions run high.