Our children live in a world where there is a lot of pressure on them to succeed. This pressure creates a lot of anxiety. Oftentimes, our children respond in ways that are difficult for us as parents to handle. Temper tantrums, acting out, irrational fears and nightmares are all common reactions. Today I offer you an opportunity to experience a technique that allows our children to release negative emotions and fulfill their potential in the classroom, in the home and with peers. Not only will your child be able to handle life’s stressors more easily but at the same time their self esteem will grow and their happiness level will increase.
My daughter Lori used to wake up in the middle of the night with terrible dreams, which would create fear and anxiety in her life and exhaustion in mine. Waking up every night to calm and comfort her took a toll on my energy level and my parenting skills. By 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the time when my kids walk in the door, I would be exhausted and irritable; not a good circumstance for that demanding hour. I was stumped with how to help her, and how to help myself, until I remembered my hypnosis CDs which always helped me to relax and fall asleep. That is when I had my “aha” moment: a CD for Lori that she could listen to whenever she wakes up in the middle of the night. A CD that would calm her, comfort her and help her to fall back asleep on her own, that would teach her how to calm and comfort herself in all sorts of situations, without even the use of the CD. The creation of this CD began with a balloon and ended with Lori’s freedom from fear and anxiety.
I hope you and your child enjoy!
The Process
Release the Balloon helps children to identify their feelings, welcome them and watch them dissolve. When a child is able to understand that feelings don’t have to rule their lives, they are more able to function in the world without distraction. Release the Balloon will give your child a tool to use when they are in the middle of a stressful situation, before and after; a tool that will allow them to more easily navigate the bumps in the road. As a parent, I have found the CDs so powerful, that I barely need to say anything. I just insert a CD and watch my children instantly relax into a state of calm; whether in the middle of a temper tantrum or after a bad dream.
The Way It Works
The key to dissolving feelings is welcoming them and allowing them to be here. It is in the resistance to certain feelings that we hold on to them. Try this for a moment: Don’t think of an apple. What pops into your mind......an apple of course. Our minds don’t understand negative words. As soon as you hear the word apple that is what comes to mind whether you push it away, yell at it or simply, ask it nicely.
In my experience, when we welcome thoughts and feelings, we give them the space to dissolve and room for something new to emerge.
The recordings give the child a way to welcome the thoughts and feelings using the imagery of a balloon. By holding the balloon close in their minds and pushing the balloon away, they neutralize the difficult feelings and a sense of peace emerges.
What is wonderful about Release the Balloon is that eventually the child won’t need the CDs anymore. Welcoming the feelings and watching them dissolve will become second nature. This will allow them to release negative emotions, no matter where they are; in the classroom, at the playground or even on the school bus.
Additional Resources
As a mother I am always searching for books to help my children deal with specific issues. Here are some of my favorites listed by topic.
For Kids
Feelings My Many Colored Days by Dr. Suess The Way I Feel, by Janan Cain Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day, by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell
Self Esteem I Like Myself, Karen Beaumont I'm Gonna Like Me, Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell
It's Hard to Be Five : Learning How to Work My Control Panel by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell No, David, David Shannon David Gets in Trouble, David Shannon Where The Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak
Bedtime Just Go To Bed, Mercer Mayer The Very Noisy Night, Diana Hendry and Jane Chapman There's Something in my Attic, There's a Nightmare in my Closet, There's an Alligator Under my Bed, Mercer Mayer
Loss The Tenth Good Thing About Barney, Judith Viorst and Eric Blegvad
Culture All The Colors of The Earth, Sheila Hamanaka
Bullying Bootsie Barker Bites, Barbara Bottner
Fear Sheila Rae the Brave, Kevin Henkes
Embarrased Crazy Hair Day, Barney Saltzberg
Parents going out at night Owl Babies, Martin Waddell
Imaginary Friends Emma Kate, Patricia Polacco
Sibling Rivalry The Pain and the Great One, Judy Blume I Love You the Purplest, Barbara M. Joosee
Moving Alexander; Who's Not (Do you hear me? I mean it!) Going to Move, Judith Viorst
New School/Fitting In The New Bear at School, Carrie Weston and Tim Warnes Ruby the Copycat, Peggy Rathman
Belief in yourself Dancing in the Wings, Kadir Nelson
My Favorites Zen Shorts, Jon J. Muth Martin's BIG Words, Doreen Rapaport
For Parents
The Sedona Method, by Hale Dwoskin Playful Parenting, by Lawrence J. Cohen Phd. Unconditional Parenting: Moving From Rewards and Punishments To Love and Reason by Alfie Kohn Loving What Is by Byron Katie