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Cake day: Mar 19, 2026

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This is the exact approach I used the most when my kid was a little younger.

As with everything in parenting, consistency and patience are your two best tools.


I think focusing on different ways to calm down is going to help a lot more here AND set up for success in the future. I put this in another comment, but I utilize the following when my kid gets wound up:

Going for walks

Cuddling and hugs (I always ask if he wants a hug, most of the time he will say yes. If he says no, I move on to another suggestion)

Talking about and identifying our feelings (It looks like you’re feeling angry right now. How does it make you feel when XYZ happens? When I feel ____, I like to do _____ to feel better, do you want to try? etc, etc)

Drawing a picture of how we feel

Taking deep breaths (breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth)

All that to say, I’m not a parent that outlaws screen time. As an adult, I will often watch a movie for comfort or something similar. It’s certainly one way to help distract, but I don’t think it should be the ONLY way.


OP doesn’t say how much screen time his kid is getting regularly.

That said, teaching a variety of ways to calm down is important and relying on only screens to calm down isn’t the best.

I’m curious to know if OP offers other ways to calm down like:

Going for walks

Cuddling and hugs

Talking about and identifying our feelings

Drawing a picture about how we feel

Taking deep breaths


I’m so sorry you had to cancel your trip! What a bummer!

I bet the glamping week will be a ton of fun though :)


I still work through my kid’s summer, so I try to plan certain outings on the weekends. Tidepools, museums, street fairs, picnics at the park, etc. It helps to have things to look forward to during the week while he’s in summer camp.

We keep up on reading every day. We have weekly boardgame or card game nights.

Honestly it doesn’t change much from when he’s in school. I try to keep it consistent, including bed times, so that the transition into school isn’t more difficult.