Parents: Here’s a Simpler Way to a Calmer Child

If you feel like your kids are under a lot of emotional stress these days, you’re not wrong. Many parents are seeing the telltale signs of a stressed-out kid like unusual outbursts, frustration and irritability, not to mention trouble sleeping. The good news is you can make stress work for your child. It’s all about balance. Read on for one simple way to help your child destress so they can feel calm, cool and collected.

Make Time to Reflect

Doing too much without enough rest can leave your child feeling physically drained, unable to focus and just plain overwhelmed. There’s one way to banish this pressure-cooker feeling, and it’s free, easy and only takes a few minutes.

Ask your child take a few minutes to stop what they’re doing and just look at the world around them. Listen to the sounds, take in the sights and be present in the moment.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but taking time each day to slow down, even just a little bit, can help bring calm to the rest of your child’s day, help them be more productive and ultimately be their best self.

Really, it’s that simple.

Yet, many parents are unaware of the huge benefits this daily habit has to help a child destress. 

3 Easy Steps to Started

1. Set Aside 15 Minutes. First, set aside 15 minutes each day for your child to just observe the world. If this feels like forever, that’s OK. Start with a shorter length of time, say 5 minutes, and build up from there.

2. Deep Breathing. Next, ask your child to breathe deeply as they take in the surrounding sights and sounds that fill the air, inhaling slowly through their nose and exhaling through their mouth. (Pro Tip: They can place their hand on their belly to make sure it expands when they inhale, so they know they’re breathing deeply.)

3. Quiet Reflection. Finally, encourage your child to take it all in, quietly and with intention. Make this a daily habit, and your child will likely feel calmer throughout the day. Even better, this mindful practice can help them feel more resilient.

In other words, this simple habit has serious benefits for your child’s emotional wellbeing. 

Here’s to a happy, healthy (and calmer) December!

Lorna & Kathleen (The EatingFor Team)

P.S. Like this tip? For more, check out Eating for A’s: A month-by-month nutrition and lifestyle guide to help raise smarter kids. Kindergarten to 6th grade. (Second Edition)