Grounding Techniques That Involve Your Children
We do not have the freedom to choose when we are triggered, emotionally dysregulated, or overwhelmed.
If you are a parent, emotional distress may get triggered when you are caring for your children. Parents do not have the luxury of stepping aside in a quiet room to do some breathing exercises or mindfulness. Rather than waiting until you have a moment alone because, let’s be honest, this may not happen for hours (or even days), they can engage in grounding exercises that involve their children.
Grounding exercises are techniques or activities that help individuals connect with the present moment, increase self-awareness, and maintain a sense of stability or "grounding" in the face of overwhelming emotions, stress, or anxiety. These exercises are often used in various therapeutic approaches, including mindfulness-based therapies and trauma-focused interventions.
READ MORE: 5 Simple Grounding Exercises
Grounding exercises typically involve bringing attention to the physical sensations, surroundings, or immediate experiences, which can be especially helpful in moments of distress or when feeling emotionally overwhelmed. These exercises aim to redirect focus away from intrusive thoughts or intense emotions, fostering a sense of stability and presence. Below are several grounding exercises that you can do alongside, or even with, your children.
Sensory Play
There are TONS of sensory activities that you can do with your children that may help you ground. Some ideas include:
Playing with Play Doh or Kinetic Sand - squeeze the Play Doh as tight as you can then release and repeat
Digging in a sand box - mindfully run your fingers through sand, focus on how it feels as it falls
Playing with slime - focus your mind on how the cool slime feels in the palm of your hand
Get Outside
Going outside is one of the best ways to reengage your body and bring it to the “right now.” By stepping outside it changes our environment and reminds our bodies that we are not “stuck".” Natural light stimulates the body to produce Vitamin D and serotonin. Some engaging activities you can do outside with your children are:
Play in the snow - hold snow or ice in your hand or touch the cold ground with your hands or feet and notice how it feels
Go swimming or play in water - jump in the pool and pay attention to how your body moves in the water
Lay on a blanket and count the clouds - lay with your child on a blanket and count how many clouds are in the sky or imagine what shapes or figures you see to engage your creativity
Move Your Body
Moving your body is not just exercise. There is no need to engage in intense exercise to reap the benefit of moving your body. Moving your body increases the feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins, and releases stress. There are tons of ways we can move with our children. Below are just a few ideas:
Have a dance party
Jump on the trampoline
Go for a walk or bike ride
Engage Your Senses
The 5 sense grounding technique, or 5-4-3-2-1 method is a common tool used to reduce anxiety when feeling overwhelmed or dysregulated. The way it works is you name 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste.
This is so easy to do with your children. Turn it into a game of I Spy, or ask them to name 5 red things in the room. You can ask them to touch something soft, something hard, and so on. Name out loud all of the things you hear, or take turns choosing your favorite songs to listen to. Play with the spices in the kitchen and smell all the scents, or light your favorite candle. Take a bite of bitter chocolate or a peppermint.
A simpler option could also be to simply walk through the 5 senses technique with them, or if your children are younger, simply walk through the technique out loud.
Any parent is likely to feel overwhelmed by emotions at some point in their parenting journey. While we do not always have access to a quiet space, we can find creative ways to engage in grounding and involve our children in the process.
You can find more grounding resources on our website as well.
Here at Atlanta Wellness Collective, we want to help. For support, contact us or request an appointment online.
This blog post was written by Leah Smith.
Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to substitute professional therapeutic advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health concerns and before starting or stopping therapies. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct professional advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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