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IMG_0138Do spend any time around children? They tend to be little balls of energy that can explode at any moment. I think adults are the same but usually low key. In my experience, yelling at children to calm down doesn’t work very well – go figure.

Recently I stumbled upon this article:  50 calm-down ideas to try with kids of all ages. Our children are adults now but we do have three grand babies and I am testing these ideas out on them. The upside is, if they fail horribly, I just get to go home and let mom figure it out. Actually, I haven’t tried or even seriously reviewed all of the ideas but a few jumped out to me. If you’re willing and able, maybe give some a try and let me know how it goes.

And here’s another thought: it says for kids of all ages. Perhaps they are good for us adults, too. Anyway, here are the handful I have tried so far:

  • Drink water – Pour a tall class of cold water and sip it slowly.
  • Sing out loud – I found this works but only until the GBs starting fighting over which song to play. The trick is to find a song they all like to sing.
  • Jump high – I don’t know if this is calming but it can sure be distracting – sometimes beggars can’t be choosers.
  • Take a cold shower – I haven’t done this with the GBs but in one of my least proud parenting moments, once when our daughter was having a melt down, I put her in the shower and turned on the cold water. I don’t remember it calming her down.
  • Watch fish – We don’t have fish but getting the GBs to focus on creatures does seem to calm them.
  • Talk it out – I use this one with our oldest GB as he can talk about what he’s feeling. Most of the time, it seems he becomes upset because he’s feeling unheard.

Check out the article and let me know what happens.