4 Simple Ways to Help Your Child Calm Down

It sometimes takes a long time to help your child calm down. It can be hard for them to express how they’re feeling and often, emotions can feel overwhelming to them.

Things that seem little to us can be huge to them. The more you understand why your child is feeling this way, the easier it is to step in before they feel out of control.

When your child is very upset or angry, it’s natural to want them to calm down as quickly as possible. But it’s important to look past the behaviour, to find out what it’s telling you. That helps you understand the triggers, so you can plan for them. Often, just thinking about how we talk with our children can help.

How you can help your child calm down

There are lots of practical ways you can support your child when they feel very upset or angry.

1: Give them comfort

When your child is distressed, they feel out of control and they need your comfort. You could give a younger child a cuddle, stroke their hair, or offer them a favourite toy.

Older children might prefer you sitting close by without touching them. Every child is different, so experiment to find out what works best for yours. Find out more about talking to your teenager.

2: It takes time

Calming down can take a long time and there’s no point talking about the situation until they’re completely calm. Focus on helping them gain control of their feelings and save the discussions for later.