Toddler years are the most challenging time for many parents. In this age, kids are learning new things every day and developing cognition. They easily get offended, bored, cranky and aggressive. Its reason is that they have an immense amount of energy and require some kind of medium to exert it. Parents should be vigilant all the time to ensure that the kid doesn’t cause any harm to himself or others.
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Whatever you teach kids in this age will most likely remain with them for the rest of their lives. So, you should be careful about what you say and do in front of them. Toddlers have plenty of mood swings, but if you know their triggers, you can get things under control. In this blog, we will give you an insight into different techniques to calm a toddler.
Put on Their Favorite Cartoons:
As we all know, kids love cartoons and this can be used to your advantage for distraction. When a kid is crying or aggressive, you need to divert his attention and cartoons do that job effectively. So, you can do all your house chores while your kid enjoys his favorite cartoons.
In addition to TV, you can also put cartoons on a smartphone, tablet or iPad. There are many gadgets like a tablet and iPad security stand that will help hold the device.
Make Them Draw and Color:
Drawing and coloring are great ways to express feelings. That is why they are also beneficial in relaxing a cranky toddler as it allows them catharsis. Toddlers are fascinated by colors and drawings help in bringing out imagination. If you give them coloring and drawing books, they will most likely not bother you for a good amount of time. Make sure that you don’t force them into anything rather provide the material and leave the rest to them.
Source: Kidsworldfun
Blow Bubbles:
Taking long breaths is a proven technique to calm down. But a toddler does not understand that so you have to find a way to make them breathe deeply. Blowing bubbles is a two in one package. It is not only good entertainment for the kids but also has a calming influence on them. Blowing bubbles is also beneficial for strengthening the muscles in the mouth.
Play with a Puzzle:
If your kid is crying, give them a puzzle as it gets them hooked up right away. A kid will get involved in completing the puzzle and forget the reason why he was upset. Puzzles are also helpful in developing a toddler’s cognitive and motor skills. In addition to puzzles, other toys like play dough can also be used to distract a crying baby.
Source: Tulamama
Change the Location:
Changing the location can help calm down a kid as it diverts his attention immediately. You should take your kid out for a walk or on a ride whenever they get out of control. The natural scenery and sounds also have a soothing effect on a kid’s emotions.
Use Food as a Distraction:
If your kid is crying because of hunger, then giving him food is a perfect choice. But in other cases too, food can be a great distraction for cranky kids. Offering candies to an upset toddler will most likely get him in a pleasant mood, and he will calm down. It is important that you have plenty of candies because things can get worse if you leave the kid craving.
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Ignore Subtly:
Kids do all kinds of silly things to grab attention, and it is not necessary to respond every time. Sometimes it is best to ignore to let the kid know that his tactics don’t work. Completely abandoning the kid is not right either as it will have a psychological effect on him. You should stay in the same room and get busy in something else till the kid calms himself down. Doing so will teach him patience and etiquettes.
Keep it in mind that this technique is valid when the kid shows tantrums, not in case of genuine problems.
Communicate:
Sometimes talking is all that it takes to calm down a cranky toddler. You have to give your kid an option to explain his feelings, and this will most probably calm him down. Whenever your kid gets upset, you should let them flush out their emotions. If he has a problem, tell him that you will solve it. In case, he is unreasonable, explain it politely without shouting at him. It will encourage a dialogue every time your kid gets in a bad mood making your life easy.
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Keep Yourself Calm:
Keeping calm is one of the most important things to consider while soothing a toddler. It can be a difficult task because kids can provoke you in all sorts of ways. But you must not raise your voice to prevent things from getting worse. If you remain calm, the kid will feed off your energy and get normal in a while.
Play Music:
Music can be a great way to soothe humans and toddlers are no exception. As toddlers do not have any preference in the genre of the music, you can play anything to grab their attention. But it is important that you play slow music because it can have a relaxing effect on the mind. You can also sing songs and lullabies to a toddler to soothe him down.
Music also has a good impact on the mental development of a kid. It stimulates creativity and gives a better understanding of sounds.
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Conclusion:
Every kid is different in thinking and behavior. The most important job of parents is to understand and appreciate this uniqueness of their kid. Also, every kid has mood swings, and you should know the ways to counter them. Using all the techniques given above can help calm a toddler.
