Quick Ways to Calm Your Child

When kids are “wired” or overtired, or perhaps in the throes of a tantrum or fit, calming them down and doing it quickly is on the mind of any parent seeking peace. Perhaps the kid’s not listening or paying attention or they’re running around when you want them to settle down. This is the perfect moment for a fast fix, getting them to calm down without a battle.

Parents know that it’s not always a breeze to get a child to go from full speed to slow motion. Even if they can get there, it usually takes a while. But when time is of the essence and calming the child down quickly is a necessity, here are some tips to try that may just do the trick.

Turn Off the Lights

Obviously, this tip is only doable at home, but isn’t that where we often need the kids to take a breather? The sudden change of ambiance will startle the child and get them to refocus for at least a moment as they try to get a grip on why the lights went out. You can take this time to huddle everyone together, get quiet, and perhaps even sit on the floor. With no bright lights to keep the kids going, they’ll calm down for the moment so you can say what you need to or ask them to do what you’d like them to do. After a couple of minutes, everyone is ready to move along, but this jolt will take them on a new path. Give it a try and see what happens in the dark!

Beverage Break

Kids always want some sort of snack or drink, but that doesn’t mean that every time they’re too wild we feed them. But a healthy beverage could be just the thing that gets them to reel it in and calm down for the time being. A warm cup of tea, a bit of milk, or something not too sugary are some good suggestions. But in order for the kids to get their special drink, they are required to slow down and sit down. After a few soothing sips, the kids will be a bit more relaxed and not as ready to get all riled up again. If you can get them to sit for a while, try reading a book or doing something that doesn’t require another round of energy.

PJs

Again, this one’s for home. When it’s approaching time for supper or sleep and the kids are still operating at full blast, it’s time to get them in their pajamas fast. First of all, they’ll need to stop running around in order to put them on. And once they’re all comfy cozy, you can suggest a new activity like reading, coloring, a bit of TV (if you allow some time each day for that), or something else that is low key. Once those PJs are on, the kids will fall into a different vibe, perhaps because they associate the clothing with down time.

What do you do to get your children to calm down quickly? We’d love to share your tips.

For more information like this, please visit All My Children’s blogs.

By: Melissa A. Kay