3 Senses You Can Use to Calm Your Child

When your child is upset, it can seem like nothing will be able to calm his or her unrest. Young children can become very overwhelmed and have difficulty expressing their needs to you, particularly if they’re pre-verbal. As a parent, you need to do all you can to soothe them. By engaging the following senses, you can help them to calm down.

Sound

You probably know about singing a lullaby to calm an upset child, but it doesn’t have to stop there. Kindermusik describes that music is one of the most powerful means of therapy, and it can be delivered in all sorts of ways. You don’t want to play anything too abrasive, like heavy metal. Instead, you should put on anything that’s calming and melodic. You could even try singing yourself. Your voice is such a powerful instrument to your child whether or not you’re a professional.

Scents

There’s a reason why there’s such a market for aromatherapy. Scents can be incredibly effective in their ability to soothe. Essential oils can help your child to feel at ease. You can deliver them by putting them on your pulse points and allowing your child to absorb the scent. You can also use a diffuser or spread it on your child directly should they be old enough. doTERRA recommends a blend of amyris, balsam fir, coriander, and magnolia to create a calming effect on children. A disturbed child can be quelled through the power of scents. Keep these scents handy in case your child gets upset and see what kind of a difference it makes.

Touch

Your baby loves and feels comforted by your touch. You need to bring him or her as close to you as possible when he or she is feeling upset. Having a baby’s skin against yours can make him or her feel similar to how he or she did in the womb. The Urban Child Institute explains that a baby’s first sense to develop is touch, so it makes sense this feeling is one of the strongest for them. You can let him or her feel the lulling effect of your heartbeat. This is an incredible demonstration of how special the bond is between a parent and child. You can increase the effect by singing a soothing song as you hold your child close. By bringing your child closer to you physically, you can make him or her all the closer to you emotionally.

Your child isn’t acting out to get a rise out of you. Rather, he or she is as frustrated as you are, if not more. When this happens, you need to approach it with equal amounts of calm. When your baby’s senses are eased, he or she can get through stress much more easily.

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