Top Tips to Get Kids to Calm Down

Kids are full of energy … except maybe when they’re sleeping, looking like angels! Perhaps as a parent or adult, you wish you still had that kind of energy. But there are many reasons why kids can be difficult to manage, especially when they may be acting hyper, are angry, or are having a reaction to something.

Kids are usually by nature energetic and impulsive and curious. They love to explore. They can move surprisingly fast at times. They don’t have the same level of self-control they will develop as they get older. These are traits we don’t necessarily want to squash, but they can be difficult to handle as a parent or other caretaker.

Think about the role models we are making for our kids. Are we often angry? Do we feel unloved or otherwise upset? Do we have trouble regulating our own moods? If you deliver your words in an angry voice, they may have even more trouble listening. Remember how imperative it is for us to do good self-care, as our children likely learn more from our role model than our words!

If you want your child to calm down, here are a few tips you can try:

1. Go for a walk or a run with your child.
2. Sit quietly with your child.
3. Have a designated place to calm down (“chill spot”) (not a punishment place).
4. Take some deep breaths with your child.
5. Count … before speaking or yelling out of anger and teach your child to do this.
6. Listen to some music that calms you and your child down.
7. Watch a funny video together.
8. Check the food your family is consuming, and make sure it’s healthy.

Kids often consume a great deal of processed foods, inclusive of overly processed grains like refined wheat and laden with sugar, and this does not produce a calming effect on you or your child. So, remember that healthy food, prepared well, not only calms as it sates, but also tastes good – yes – even veggies. Be sneaky – look for recipes that make veggies taste good to kids!

As always, have a holistically healthy day!

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