Managing Behavior

Hi, I’m Gemma Arnold from Toddlers, Teens, and Between. I’m the between and toddler expert. And I’m Sophie Ziff, our teen expert. And we’re really excited to share our top tips to help equip you as parents for your toddlers, your teens, and between.

So we often get asked what to do when they are having a battle with your between child. So for us, the, between age is between seven to twelve, and it’s usually at the school age and the arguments come with trying to get them to do their homework, trying to get them to bathe, trying to get them to eat their dinner, trying to fit in all the things that need to be done at the end of the school day. And it’s a lot, it’s a lot for them.

Sometimes they need a break themselves. So something we encourage is whilst they’re doing their homework, or whilst they’re doing something academic, we like to encourage a brain break. So we’ve got a glitter jar that is very easy to make, and you just give it a shake and you can associate some breathing techniques with it.

So you teach your child to breathe in for five and out for five, whilst watching the glitter settle. It’s something they can do on their own. They can gain independence whilst doing it, and they can just take ownership. You don’t need to be involved in it if they need it. It also stops their hands, getting a bit antsy and it gives them something to do with their hands.

Also a lovely visual mindful activity at this stage, of sort of eight. You’re not necessarily always adept at how to mindfully calm yourself down. What’s really lovely as well about the glass jar is it’s like a mindful activity they’re using their hands or they’re using their eyes, two senses to kind of engage in a calm break, helps for the brain.