Glitter Jar Cool Off

Pinterest is great! I saw a link for making a time out jar there. This is basically just a jar with glitter, glitter glue and water. Glue the lid on and shake it up. The glitter floats around and then settles again but swirls around while on the way down. The great thing about this is that it fascinates children and is hypnotic creating a great way to calm the mind.

I happen to try and use Positive Discipline which tries to find ways to help a child feel better rather than worse when they are getting into trouble. The idea is that there is something they are trying to show they need through their behavior and so if you can figure that out and calm them down in a positive way you can have a conversation they will hear rather than block.

 I think that teaching my children how to find strategies to calm down when angry in a way that will end up with them feeling better about themselves and happy is a win. I think that this fits with that idea well. Another thing to put in the calm down area (time out area with a positive discipline twist).

We have used this cool down jar with great success so far. When my son is getting excited about something in particular. For some reason that seems the most difficult thing for the two of us to deal with together and get him to settle down. This has worked very well in helping him calm down. We even made one that is in a plastic tube (the one the glitter came in) that we can take with us.

We did two containers of glitter glue (they were small but I think we could have used three) and 1/2 a container of glitter for this jar. Then hot water to get the glue to melt. We just filled the jar the rest of the way with water.

One thing I did is put a permanent glue around the threads of the jar lid so that it will not come off.

Music Friday: David Tobocman & 8 Ideas to Deal With Anger

David Tobocman has a great song called I Count to Ten. 
                                   

This song is about "cooling down" when you are angry. Learning about feelings and how to deal with strong emotions can be a very challenging thing. It is very helpful to have some plans about what to do when you are feeling one of those strong emotions such as anger (usually rooted in sadness), sadness, and excitement. 

One thing that has been a great help to us is music in general. Singing and dancing can change the mood very quickly and create a lot of fun or allow to be very expressive with our bodies and the volume of our voice. One great thing about this song in particular is it gives us some training in another plan for what to do when strong emotions arise AND helps identify what we are feeling like when we are starting to get angry. 

                                          
 

Catching those feelings before we act of them or get overwhelmed by them is one thing that really helps in calming down from them. My son and I sat down a while ago and talked about what things might help him to feel better when he is feeling angry or sad. 

Here are a few ideas:

• Coloring: Keep a small notebook and a small container of colored pencils or markers around at all times, in your purse or where ever you can. 

• Dancing to music: Stomp out the feelings, jump up and down if you are excited, twirl, etc. 

• Sit and Read a book: This is especially helpful for my son if I read to him, just looking at books on his own is not really enough he wants to feel my care for him. Since I am trying to train him in how to effectively deal with anger and feel better not worse I am okay with this. 

• Go outside and hit/kick a ball around. 
• Do a Puzzle

• Play with playdoh. 

• Ask for a hug. 

• Play with Legos. 

Music is one great way to deal with strong emotions like excitement.

Most of these things work really well and work best if he knows that I am there for him either by giving him a good long hug before he goes to do them or sitting with him while he does it. 

Here are a couple of great feelings books too. 

                                           

                                            
                                            
                                            
This last one is one that teaches about how emotions might look and feel but is covert about it. All the different dinosaurs are very different personalities that can help to show how people are different and how each person can have a variety of actions depending how they are feeling.

What do you do to help your kids deal with anger, sadness, excitement and other emotions?