MELTDOWN MAGIC: Quick Mindfulness Cures for When Kids are On the Brink

by Malia Jacobson

Clenched fists, flushed cheeks, and shaky, shallow breaths – most parents can spot these signs of an impending kid-meltdown. When we notice our kid is about to lose it, we have a few options: we can intervene in hopes of mitigating the damage, we can whisk our child home (or at least out of the public gaze) before the tantrum strikes, or we can simply hunker down and wait out the storm. But what if we could avoid a meltdown in the first place?

Turns out, we can, at least some of the time. A solid mindfulness practice involves consistent repetition and routine, not quick fixes. But for particularly heated moments, it doesn’t hurt to have a few mindfulness exercises on deck to help kids de-escalate when they can’t do it themselves. That’s where these easy-to-implement tools and techniques win the day. They’re simple, free and dial down anxiety in mere moments.

Before kids freak out, try a “Time In:” When steamed-up kids need to cool down, a “time in” offers a chance to regroup and build vital skills that they might miss in a solitary “time out.” The “Time In ToolKit” from Generation Mindful includes calming activities to help kids build emotional recognition and learn strategies for keeping the peace.

The recent fidget spinner craze means you may have one of these mindfulness tools nearby. The next time your child is upset, ask them to give theirs a good spin and practice deep, rhythmic full-belly breaths until the spinner slows down.

To encourage the deep, slow breathing proven to induce tranquility, try these breathing exercises: Try “birthday candle breaths:” have kids pretend each outstretched finger is a birthday candle, then take a deep breath to blow each “candle” out; “starfish breaths:” tracing a finger along the outline of the opposite hand in the form of a starfish, taking a deep breath up and down each finger; or “rocket breaths:” pressing hands together over their heart, then using a deep breath to “blast” the rocket overhead.

When kids are seeing red, help steer them back into their “green zone” by placing one hand on their chest and one hand on their stomach, then simply breathing. Kids can practice this calming technique before bed when they’re getting relaxed and sleepy. Each time the exercise is repeated, its calming effect is reinforced (this goes for calming breath exercises in general – practice makes perfect).

For wired parents, tweens and teens mindfulness apps (try Headspace or Buddhify) offer quick meditations to help kids shift out of a negative or angry state; parents can guide younger kids through these meditations, too. Peace out, meltdowns.