How do you teach a kid calming tricks when they roll their eyes the second you say "take a deep breath"?
My 10 year old gets stressed, but if I say take a deep breath, he gets even more annoyed. I get it, nobody likes being told to calm down. Has anyone found a way to teach breathing, mindfulness, or calming stuff that doesn't feel cheesy?
Do it when they are not upset. We practiced box breathing in the car like a random experiment. During a meltdown is too late.
My son hates the word mindfulness. If I say athletes slow their breathing before a shot, he listens. Same skill, different packaging.
A breathing ball helped because there is something to look at. Closing eyes and breathing felt too weird for my daughter.
I model it sometimes. I say, I am getting frustrated so I am taking a minute. Not as a performance, just normal. Kids copy more than they admit.