Deep Breathing with Whales and Octopuses: A Self-Regulation Tool for Children with Mood Swings

Children who haven't yet fully developed their emotional regulation skills can easily become emotionally unstable, laughing or getting angry at even the slightest provocation. Parents often witness this behavior and think, "I just have to endure it," or, unable to bear the sight of their child struggling, they try to soothe their emotions instead.

However, studies show that repeated experiences of suppressing emotions or having others regulate them for you can actually hinder your child's ability to recognize and regulate their own emotions.

So, to help children practice self-regulation, many counselors, therapists, and school teachers recommend breathing exercises like 'Deep Breathing'... Everyone knows that breathing is good, but in reality, I often hear from teachers and parents that they "don't know when or how to practice it."

Especially when a child is going through a 'tsunami' of emotions, there are also stories that say that techniques that have not been sufficiently practiced are not effective because they are not applied well.

So today, we're going to explore specifically why breathing techniques are necessary, what research evidence there is, and how and when to practice them to help both children and adults.

Self-regulation and self-control are different concepts. To learn more about the differences, click here!

What are the benefits of deep breathing?

Children's Hospital of America explains that breathing exercises help relax the body, increase focus, reduce stress and anxiety, lower heart rate, and increase oxygen levels, which helps calm the mind ( childrens.com ) .

A study conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine also reported that participants who actively practiced breathing exercises for five minutes each day felt better and breathed more slowly than those who simply practiced mindfulness ( pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ).

It is possible to start practicing as early as 2 years old, but it would be really good to start practicing in a fun way and instill a habit from around 5 years old.

 

Whale and Octopus Breathing: Deep Breathing Exercises with Play

So today, I'd like to introduce a "breathing" video featuring whale and octopus characters to help children learn deep breathing in a fun way. Practice diaphragmatic breathing naturally by imitating the animals as they inhale, hold their breath, and then surface to breathe.

You can practice like this with your child.

1. Inhale – Inhale slowly through your nose, counting to the number of breaths. Feel your belly rise.

2. Hold your breath – Close your mouth and hold your breath for a second or two. Imagine holding your breath underwater .

3. Exhale slowly through your mouth . Blow out with a "whoosh" sound, mimicking the way a whale spouts water like a fountain or an octopus exhales through its mouth.

4. Pause after exhaling – After exhaling, pause for one second. Then, slowly inhale again through your nose and repeat.

It would be great if you could spend some time learning how to control your breathing according to the movements of the animals and experiencing 'co-regulation' by breathing in sync with your parents.

 

(Below is a YouTube channel that I really like. It's a channel where you can practice deep breathing by imagining various images, such as breathing a dragon or blowing bubbles. There are so many different videos, so find one that suits your child and practice!)

 

It's better this way

1) Practice when you're calm – Start your breathing exercises when you're usually calm and in a good mood, so your child can use them in stressful situations. Try simple yoga exercises before bed or during playtime.

2) Place your hand or a doll on your belly – Help your child feel the belly move when he or she breathes in. .

3) Counting – Count the length of your inhales and exhales. Young children can start with inhaling for three seconds and exhaling for three seconds. Stanford researchers reported that breathing that makes exhaling longer than inhaling is particularly effective in improving mood and reducing stress (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). . Even with whale breathing, it may be a good idea to take a longer exhalation time to suit your child.

5) Practice with your child – Did you know that children learn breathing exercises more easily when the whole family practices them together? Why not try taking a deep breath and stretching together?

 

Today we looked at Deep Breathing.
I would also like to say that it is very effective for children who frequently experience sensory overload, such as those with ADHD or ASD, and it is very helpful in reducing unnecessary stress factors and developing self-regulation skills.

The most important thing is to practice consistently every day, even if it's for a short period of time. So, if you practice a little bit every day, I hope you can help your child gradually expand his self-regulation skills!

 

Don’t miss out on new insights from Everbloom Path! Subscribe via the link below to receive our latest updates directly in your inbox.

📮 [Subscribe for Updates]