The big question, ‘How can I get my child to be calm so that they can participate in what home/school/community life?’. So many children find it difficult to even know what calm feels like, let along how they can calm themselves down when they are feeling angry, anxious or over silly.We need to be in that ‘just right’ zone so that we can concentrate, listen, make friends and look after ourselves. Many kids feel or are:
- overwhelmed
- have meltdowns, outbursts
- triggered by emotions, people, sensory input etc (or no pattern at all!)
- have difficulty trying new things or wanting to be involved
- be impulsive, controlling, or obsessive
- can be physically aggressive
- withdrawn or zoning out
This video series delves into each of the steps that need to be considered when supporting a child to be in the calm and alert state. We delve into what you need to understand about ‘feeling calm’ and then talk through some of our top strategies for getting kids into that calm state.
We recommend that you also watch the video series ‘5 ways to understand behaviour’.
How many emails will I get?
Day 1; Upon signing up you will get a welcome video which introduces the topic and what you are to be learning over the next few days
Day 2; Understanding the levels of alertness – getting to know a child’s escalation pattern and how we fluctuate across the day according to the triggers that occur.
Day 3; Understanding triggers – what may be triggering the child to get into a high or low level of arousal
Day 4; Getting to know the ‘Just Right’ zone – the state we want kids to be in so that they can participate and feel comfortable in their own bodies
Day 5; Have a toolbox of strategies – building up a repertoire of strategies and resources that the child can use to learn what it feels like to be calm and to bring them back to calm when they escalate.
Day 6; Create a trusting and safe relationship – this first tool needed in the tool box is people surrounding the child who understand their needs and have a connection
Day 7; Support movement – exploring body triggers that may be impacting their ability to be calm and relaxed
Day 8; Use respiration tools – different ways to encourage deep breathing to help switch off that survival brain
Day 9; Explore sensory strategies – understanding the sensory system and how we can help those kids who are sensitive or seeking sensory input to use it in a calming way
Day 10: Modify the environment – ensuring that the places the child is in are set up with limited triggers and supports in place where possible
Day 11; Create a shared language – having a way to talk about the child’s body responses and feelings in a way that isnt overloading and simple for everyone to use