How to Calm Your Child and Have Relaxing Evenings Together

Kids seem to have never-ending energy. This is great, but as a working mother I would like a little peace and quiet in the evenings. Here is a list of ways that I have used to calm down my 4-year-old and have a meaningful evening.

1. You set the tone. Yelling and screaming will only get you more chaos, so keeping calm is your best bet.

2. Keep your kid involved in what you are doing - putting away groceries, doing the dishes, cooking dinner or what ever else you are doing. You can find something that your child can tackle and help with the chore. Better they be there helping you than you have to wonder what they are in to or what they are up to.

3. Sit down with your child after the evening chores is done. Whether it is in the bathroom as your child bathes or on the sofa with a book, spend some time with your child. Moments from you can lead to hours of calmness and a good night's sleep. It will relax your child mentally to have that connection and conversation with you. Give your little person the best gift possible, your time.

4. Try not to have sugary snacks or drinks after 7 pm. A child can not possibly calm down if they are all sugared up. A cup of milk or just plain water will do the trick and if you have a cup too it will reinforce the idea. Don't drink a soft drink and expect your child to milk; this will cause conflict.

5. Put some lavender in your child's bath or spray their linens with lavender. It will provide a sense of calmness and relax your child.

6. Make sure that your child is getting enough exercise through the day. A good hour outside running around the yard in the fresh air will burn up bottled up energy that is going to come out weather you want it to or not, so that hour or half hour of bouncing around the back yard will burn up the extra energy and level the playing field for you.

7. Keep a consistent schedule on the weekends as well as through out the week. Children's little bodies don't understand days off, so keeping them on the same schedule will help them out too. Bedtime is bedtime, no matter what day it is.

So your evening does not have to be chaotic, if it is now, you may have to take baby steps to get into a new routine, with time and patience, you can accomplish a quiet peaceful evening.