Returning to a calm state from a place of frustration is difficult for anyone, especially children. Try doing these things with your child the next time they need to calm down.
Take deep breaths
Practice breathing from the gut so that the stomach expands and contracts. Take big, deep breaths and focus on the movement. This can help take the attention away from the bad feelings until your child can think and behave from a calm state of mind.
Count to 10
Counting is another great tool in distracting your child from their feelings. Teach them to count before they say or do anything when they feel angry. After they count to 10, they should be ready to speak and behave appropriately.
Ask for a hug
Receiving affection from loved one releases endorphins that can help relieve tension and wash away bad feelings.
Focus on their body
When we get angry, if we are paying attention, we can feel the way it changes our body. Our face gets hot, our muscles feel tight, and all sorts of other things happen when we become upset. When your child gets upset, they should look for these signs and focus on trying to return them to feeling normal to calm down.
Practice a gentle touch
Whenever your child starts to get worked up, teach them to touch their ring finger to their thumb as delicately as possible and hold it so that they are just barely touching. Focusing on doing something that is gentle not only diverts attention for anger but also helps them gain control enough to preform the task.
