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WE HELP CHILDREN

Self-regulation resources and training to support children’s mental health

Tips for a peaceful Christmas 

Relaxation can improve family relationships and boost self-esteem

With less than a fortnight to go until Christmas, children are likely to be bursting with excitement and getting them to wind down and go to sleep may seem like an impossible task!

Children may resist traditional techniques, such as counting sheep if they don’t want to go to sleep.

Getting enough sleep is vital to children’s health and well being. We all know what over tired children are like, cranky, unable to engage with other children, run down, and even a little depressed.

Studies have identified a link between lack of sleep and the onset of depression. What’s more important, is that early intervention in disruptive sleeping habits and sleeping problems in children has been shown to lead to significant health benefits in later life.

If your child is finding is difficult to fall asleep or sleep through the night, now could be the time to introduce simple relaxation techniques to help them establish a healthy sleep routine and learn how to drift off peacefully every night.

Relax Kids creates simple and child-friendly exercises that teach children effective relaxation techniques, like breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxations, positive affirmation and visualisation.

Try this simple exercise at home with your child. It is a progressive muscle relaxation that will help children deeply relax their bodies, let go of their worries, and feel ready for a good night’s sleep.

The Robot – Close your eyes, be very still and imagine that you are a robot. Your whole body is made of metal. The lights on your arms and legs and stomach are flashing brightly. The robot also makes all sorts of beeping and bleeping noises. It is a very noisy robot. Now you are going to see if you can switch the robot off and make every part of your body completely still. Start with your right leg – bring all your attention to your right leg and turn off the switch. Your right leg becomes totally still. Do the same to your left leg, switching off the switch and watching the bright lights on that leg turn off. Switch off the light on your stomach and make it very, very still inside. Now do the same to you arms, turning off the lights and letting your arms become very still and heavy. Finally, turn off the switch in your head. Switch off your mouth, switch off your nose and eyes and finally switch off your eyes. You should feel very still now. See how still you can make your robot body.

Don’t forget that if you move anything, then the lights will go back on – so stay as still as you can.

https://relaxkids.com/product/the-wishing-star/ (extract from The Wishing Star)

For more exercises like this visit our online store to browse our best-selling relaxation books and CDs.