Month: March 2023

Years and years ago, we sat, as families and communities around the blazing orange camp fire each night telling stories, jokes, sharing ideas and going over each day. We felt connected. But our modern day campfire has turned into a blue light. Each night we sit around our digital camp fires (some separate, some together) and watch stories and laugh and are entertained, but despite connection to the worldwide we just don’t have that feeling of deep connection. Added to this disconnect, we know, the blue light at night can have a damaging affect on our sleep and health, so exacerbating the problem.

And now, we all feel rather zoomed and videoed out. There are 3 things we can do to help get ourselves and our families back to feeling calm and connected again. Nature, Nurture and Nourishment.

Nature helps us feel more connected because we are nature. Walking, scavenger hunts, appreciating being in nature, breathing in fresh air, blowing on dandelions, getting exercise outside, sun rays and looking at greens and blues is all so so good for your child’s brain. This doesn’t have to be big expensive days out – just a little more time in garden, your local park or town walks appreciating the nature peeking through pavements. Spend as much time outside with shoes off and feel the grass or earth between your toes.

The next way to feel connected is Nurture – giving your child attention, affection and lots of affirmation can literally help grow their brain and help empower them, build resilience. In our Relax Kids classes, we do lots of this to help children feel calm confident and creative.

And finally Nourishment – nourishment through not just good food, but good thoughts, words and deeds as well as plenty of rest and relaxation. The rules for living a happy, connected life really are so simple. So, let’s help support our next generation with more nature, nurture and nourishment to build their physical and mental and emotional immunity.

Relax Kids is 23 years this year and we are continuing with our mission to help children feel more positive, resilient and believe in themselves. I’m very excited to announce our beautiful new website, we have a new range of books and audios coming, our children’s classes and Relax Kids, ChargeUp and Baby Mindful trainings have never been more popular. It really feels like a new beginning for Relax kids and I hope we can continue to support you and your family. Our coaches have continued to do incredible work supporting children. Many have never been busier and the feedback from children and parents is heart-warming – We will continue to do what we can to support you and your families mental and emotional health. We have created a beautiful new bumper giveaway to help support your family’s emotional wellbeing. It is a wonderful pack filled with lots of tools and exercises. I know you will just love it.

P.s Talking of nature, here are some lovely exercises you can do with the children in nature.

Wind bathing – Wind bathing helps restore balance and harmony to your system. Stand outside on a windy day and feel the wind touching your skin and hair. Turn around and let the wind touch your whole body. Sun Massage Stand in the sunshine. Focus on your skin and notice how the warm sun feels on your face and body. Turn around slowly allowing the sun to massage your skin.

Colour Bath – Choose a colour in nature – blue or green. Stand still and focus on that colour. Notice how it makes you feel. Breathe in and out slowly and feel as if you are relaxing in a lovely colour bath.

Cloud Watching – Look up at the clouds and watch them move. Notice the shapes and how they change. What shapes are they? Nature Sensing As you stand in the garden or park, notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell and notice how you feel inside. Fractal tracing Look at a tree in the distance and relax your eyes and with soft eyes follow the shape of the tree. What other exercises and games can you play in nature?

Download our FREE WELLBEING PACK at www.relaxkids.com/wellbeing

Bedtime tips for children with ADHD

There have been a number of studies showing that relaxation is effective in improving the behaviour of children with ADHD. Relaxation training has been found to be the most effective treatment for children with externalising behavioural disorders, including ADHD *(1).

Relaxation techniques have been proven to be useful skills in minimising dysfunctional behaviour, reducing stress and anxiety levels, treating headaches, encouraging reading achievement, improving self-concepts, and enhancing self-esteem.*(2)

Regular relaxation breaks can help bring stability and calm to the household as well as benefit your child both physically and mentally. Relaxation can improve children’s concentration, anxiety and stress levels as well as helping children sleep.

Here are a few tips to help families living with ADHD improve bedtimes for the whole family:

1. Food – Avoid giving sugary drinks and snacks or caffeine towards the end of the day 

2. TV and games – Keep TV, videos and games to a minimum as night approaches and encourage quieter activities such as crafts and gentle board games.

3. Routine – It is important to create a good routine. Set a nightly routine and stick to it.

4. Relaxation- At bedtime, ask your child to lie on their back with their arms by their side and feet and ankles relaxed. Play some soothing music while you stroke their hand or forehead. You could try holding their feet gently by placing your thumbs in their insteps. This can be very calming. Let your child put their hand on their stomach and tell them to breathe into their stomach. Ask them to watch their stomach go up and down as they breathe deeply.

Here are some relaxation exercises to try with your child:

Rock – Imagine you are a rock in the ocean. As you lie there, feel yourself becoming more and more still and calm. Say to yourself ‘I am still, I am still, I am still, I am still’. As you stay as still and calm, see if you can listen to all the sounds around you. Stay as still and focussed as you can as you listen to all the sounds around you. How still can you be? Keep practicing this often and watch how your concentration and focus improves.

Whenever you feel tense and anxious, tighten all your muscles as tight as you can and then relax them. Notice the difference and how you feel when you relax your muscles. See if you can let your shoulders and jaw go and just relax.

Butterfly – Imagine there is a butterfly on your chest. Each time you breath in and out, the butterfly gently rises and falls again. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. 

Positive Self-talk – Repeat to your self ‘I am calm’ ‘I can stay still and concentrate’ I am calm and peaceful.

If you find these exercises useful, why not send your child to a Relax Kids class? Our trained coaches will teach your child simple relaxation exercises, as well as fun affirmation games and more.

Find your nearest coach using our to help your child learn to relax at home…Try our  https://relaxkids.com/product/quiet-spaces/ Quiet Spaces CD, with a selection of 16 deeply calming meditations which incorporate the relaxation techniques proven to help children with ADHD.

This CD can be used in the bedroom, during bath time, in the car, after dinner, or downloaded as an MP3 to use when you’re out and about.

The Quiet Spaces CD teaches children simple breathing exercises, muscle relaxations and visualisations; that they can use to help themselves calm down.

<*(1) Weisz, J; McCarty, C; Valeri, S. (2006). Effects of psychotherapy for depression in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin. 132 (1), 132-149.

*(2) Margolis, H. (1990). Relaxation training: A promising approach for helping exceptional learners. International Journal of Disability, 37(3), 215-234.

69 percent of all men work overtime

In this tough economic climate, with more and more pressure on those in employment to over perform, many families are having to work extra hours.

A busy work schedule can mean missing important quality time with your children. Particularly with younger children who have earlier bedtimes, working late often means that children are just going to bed as you get home. 

Unfortunately, it is often Dad who is missing out on time spent with the kids. One recent study has found that 69 percent of all men work overtime, compared to 42 percent of women (The Economic Times)

Get Dad to read a Bedtime Story!

If Dad does find himself working overtime, getting him to read children their bedtime story when he gets in is a great way to make sure he’s not missing out on quality time with the children.

Not only is getting Dad to read a bedtime story to your child is a fantastic way to help him relax at the end of a stressful day by snuggling up and listening to Dad’s voice, your child will feel safe and protected.

Bedtime stories are also very child-centred, which allows for a warm and positive interaction between parent and child.

Listening to stories will stimulate your child’s imagination and even enhance their vocabulary. As well as spending quality time together, you are developing your child’s interest in reading, learning and books. Children who are regularly read to, often perform better in school. Our beautiful https://relaxkids.com/product/aladdins-magic-carpet/  Aladdins Magic Carpet  book is perfect for reading at bedtime and includes 52 familiar fairytales transformed into meditations and relaxations.

This book is designed to introduce children to simple relaxation and stress-management techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation and visual imagery. These techniques are intertwined with popular fairytales, so that children imagine themselves as Aladdin floating on a carpet, Jack climbing the beanstalk and floating in the clouds, the little mermaid swimming in the ocean and many more.

Each story is only 4-5 minutes, leaving plenty of time for bedtime cuddles!

Finish your story with a bedtime cuddle

 There is nothing better than a bedtime cuddle. Many studies have shown that warmth in a parent-child relationship is strongly related to a child’s self-esteem. The more a child feels parental warmth and affection and communication, the fewer psychological and behavioural problems they will have.

Touch is a powerful way of demonstrating love and you may even want to try incorporating a daily massage into your bedtime routine. Try stroking your child’s forehead gently or massaging their palms lightly with your thumb. Both exercises are simple and a great way to get children relaxed and ready to sleep, while helping them feel loved and feel closer to you.

Meditation before sleep can make a difference!

Last night I received a message from a very worried mother saying that her six year old had great anxiety around sleep and would often have nightmares and wake up terrified.  She was asking for a Relax Kids CD suggestion.

I suggested the Superheroes CD and Wizard MP3 and she promptly downloaded them.  

I received a message this morning saying that it seemed to work and he went to sleep with positive thoughts in his head and had good dreams.

Our CDs are full of positive affirmations and positive story meditations which help children fall asleep easily and effortlessly.  

Download an album today and see the difference a little relaxation can make to your child’s sleeping patterns. https://relaxkids.com/store/product-category/mp3s/