30 Seconds for Hope:
Caregivers, do you have a Calm-the-Toddler toolbox? That is, do you have some ideas in mind for distracting and calming toddlers when you are watching others’ children? Lots of ideas exist out there, but here’s one you won’t want to miss. Believe it or not, sometimes noise can work to quiet a child. Then add some movement along with that noise, and today’s tip is born. Read on to see how this works…
And now the full story:
Little Dereck* arrived distraught. My floater job at a preschool included consoling children after their mommies left. Crying children weren’t uncommon, but usually they soon calmed down and began to play. However, eighteen-month-old Dereck challenged that norm. Dereck’s wails consistently persisted after the others had begun to play, so for a time Dereck became my charge.
What to do?
During my years as a mom and teacher, I had discovered a simple tip, and once again it began to work its magic.
My priority is always to assure the child in a caring way, so I spoke to Dereck as I held him and walked.
“You miss your mommy. Yes, that’s okay. She’ll be back. Everything is okay.”
Soothing words. Soothing, rhythmic tones. Soothing pats. Soothing validation of his emotions.
Within this context of assurances, I employed my Calm-the-Toddler trick while I walked and talked. And what was that tip? Motion and noise!
As I walked, it played out like this…
Tap the wall.
Pick up a toy. Shake it.
Knock down a block tower.
Move to a window. Tap on the glass while pointing to outside cars.
Make car noises. Keep moving.
Pick up some books. Drop books on the floor.
Go for a stroller ride. Make the stroller shake a bit.
Stroll down the hallway in a curving pattern while singing a railroad song.
Keep moving. Keep talking and consoling.
Keep caring. Keep believing that eventually this toddler will feel safe.
Motion and noise. And more motion and noise.
As we moved around, Dereck would begin to calm…then each day was a little better… until one day…the magic happened! Dereck arrived with no crying and played happily the whole time. Yay! And this wasn’t the first time this tip had helped children in my care. It’s a tip that I now keep handy inside my Calm-the-Toddler toolbox.
Some children become calm just by holding them whether you sit or stand still. But for many, action and sound calm them sooner as they become interested in the world around them and feel your care.
But I must give a huge disclaimer. With children there are no formulas! What works for one can backfire with another. I get it! So, this motion-and-noise tip is not meant to be a surefire cure but rather a generalization that might help you in similar situations.
Also, this tip is only meant for occasional use for calming or distracting a child, not a tip for how to live life 100% of the time. My story happened in a classroom where there could be one dedicated caregiver (me). In a home there’s no way that a mother could, or even should, endlessly entertain one child. Yet the general tip can help in many different situations.
For example, I watched my own mother manage classrooms of two-year-olds by keeping them mesmerized with action songs and puppets in motion. And I can’t count the times I’ve distracted babies during diaper changes by holding a toy under my chin, shaking it with my neck, then letting the baby or toddler grab it—repeating this again and again to create a game. Motion and noise work so much better than trying to fight little hands grabbing messy bottoms!
One note of caution: Action videos on TV and YouTube work wonders in captivating children through motion and noise. Videos for children are designed that way! But please beware of too much. Research has shown that screen time, especially too much screen time, actually harms young children. Be alert to this damaging effect. Check out the research. For example, see here.
How about you? Have you already discovered the motion-and-noise tip? If not, try it and see what you think. Motion, noise, motion and noise—then quiet and calm might happen!
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*Name changed
Image by Felix Baby Lama from Pixabay
30 Seconds for Hope 