Stress techniques for toddlers?

Question

I was wondering if anyone knew of any stress techniques for toddlers... When I get stressed out I relax and slowly breath in and out and I don't think about anything just concentrait on relaxing. My 3 year old has recently started copying me and I noticed that he has been doing alot better in reading when he does this. I have seen him on his bed, reading, getting stuck and putting his book down and take a few deep breaths and then closing his eyes. After he is done he picks up his book and begins to read again, is this good for him? is he too young to do that? are there other things I could teach him? (when he has a meltdown in the store I do this too, and I noticed that he doesn't have meltdowns as nearly as much anymore, does he know it bothers me?)

he reads hop on pop by dr.seuss and the 'a' book, the 'b' book et cetera... we got him some "see jane run" books and picture books of colors with words at the bottom ('A' apple picture of an shiny bright red apple "apple") he is catching on quickly associating pictures with words things he uses and sees everydau

Answer 1

Wow, that's really awesome that your child is emulating your positive behavior this way! Keep up the good work. Your child must really admire you as a role model!

Children learn from their parents and that includes both negative and positive behviors. Yet, they do have their own personalities and will sometimes do their own thing anyway. However, the more respect we can derive from our toddlers, children and teens, the more chances we have to keep them on track to having a good life as adults.

Other methods to assist relaxing your child include bath time, reading, turning off the tv and music and just let the quiet consume him/her for an hour or more. We sometimes push too much information into our little ones instead of letting them discover the power of serenity. I think you are doing a wonderful thing here with your breathing control! Keep up the good work Mom!

Answer 2

you have asked about 5 questions here and its difficult for me to know where to start answering them.... when i summarize it all there is one word that comes to mind for me and it always works for me with my kids in all aspects of everything they do, and in my opinion it is the opposite of stress and will alleviate it , and please dont get me wrong or misunderstand me when i say this because i would NEVER tell anyone how to live their lifes or love or what to do , i merley try to give examples by what i know works for me and what has worked for other people in certain situations and it is "LOVE" hugs and kisses at stressful times always helps turn a new page because it brings happiness back again and i believe that being happy is the best frame of mind for anyone to learn with ,you cant give too much love ,Love is a star in darkness growing - a great illumination of the soul. Love claims our hearts and won't let go again, no matter what infraction some cold society might try to blame and shame us with. Love is knowing when to walk away, and knowing when to stay. Love is an empathy so deep that we must feel each pain, each joy, each great distraction that the other feels, in sync. Love is an insanity that never ends, the craziness to take a risk, the despair of the most lost and lonely moments of our being. Love is intuiting the fact that silence can be the most honest statement of all, instead of choosing to use it as a weapon. Love is holding in the letting go while letting go control. Love is a peak when all the world senses harmony and peace drawn from the chaos of the universe. Ever expanding until it breaks down yet again.
Love is living through the pain they left behind. Blindly absorbing it until its form and substance have a chance to really change. Love is letting your mind drift over the embellished moments of agony that must come, soon or late, of any real relationship. Love is saying, "Yes, it hurts. It hurts so much," while clinging to the truth that this too, will surely pass. Love is a mother, a father, a sister, a brother, a child - a friend and a lover - a mirror that claims all others as ourselves. Love is the frenzy and the arguments, but most of all the making peace again.
Love is the grief that tears our hearts apart, just when our intellect seems to have gone on vacation. Love exists beyond, beneath, within, all logic and all creed. The love we feel is always free to share - the most honest expression of our being. Love is lost and love is found. Love never costs a moment bound to expectations. Love lives within vast moments of completion, ever growing nearer to beginning yet again. Cyclic in its long lost harmonies. Broken into pieces, but then forming into something new again. Through all the years and all the change, love is the only truth that still remains...

Answer 3

Your 3 year old is a direct reflection of you and the father without the control. Everything is magnified for children at this age. Frustration is the big problem for this age. It boils down to the inability to communicate effectivly. Once you understand this you can approach your child differently and help with the communication. He mimics you in situations and so the breathing thing helps, but overall it is a communication issue. Start introducing gestures. when he is frustrated use sign language, (you can make your own) as this will allow him to communicate without any misinterperate his message.

Answer 4

I don't think your child is actually stressed. They are 3, what do they have to be stressed about? I think he sees you doing this, so he copies you, even though they are not stressed.
I think what you are seeing is the result of the child changing from the infant/toddler stage to the child stage where they can communicate better instead of just having a temper tantrum since they can't communicate well.

Answer 5

WOW how did you get your 3 year old to read?
I sing with my son to relieve his stress and mine.
When he's freakin out about something we start singing anything, I ask him to pick the song and we just sing until things feel better.
My son is 26 months (2 years 2 months)
I'm really interested to hear how you got your three year old to read... you must spend a lot of time teaching him and reading to him.. way to go!

Answer 6

I think it is wonderful that your child has picked up this behavior. I believe it will really help him out later in life when stressful situations occur. It sounds like he has picked up a very usefull took from you. If you are noticing a good change in his behavior, I would definitely condone it and praise him for not letting little things get to him. Good for you!

Answer 7

That's fantastic, no there's nothing wrong with that, and no he's not too young. I've taught a similar technique to my children with the same results. If anything having them learn this early on will be a huge asset to them as they get older in my opinion.

Answer 8

MELTDOWNS....he is a child.as the saying goes monkey see monkey do.That is great that your child reads at 3.your child is mirror image of you...Also you need to put a hold on those meltdows as you say....he is 3 not 30

Answer 9

Wow, that's great. I've got a boy who's almost two and I've never thought of that. we talk calmly to him and convince him to behave but what you are doing I think will give him something to rely on his whole life.....good job mommy;) I bet he's going to do will with it. And sure he knows it bothers you when he acts out, that is part of the reason he does it, he's getting attention for some reason, either too tired, frustrated, hungry...who knows. but they do it to because they don't want to ask for help, you can teach him that.

Answer 10

He's too young to understand the effects of meditation and stress techniques. He is simply mirroring what he sees you doing. If he continues this behavior, it is not going to negatively affect his health. In fact, once he's old enough to understand, it may be a benefit to his health.