Monday, 8 May 2017

TODDLER: My Tips for Turning #TearsIntoSmiles with Elastoplast

Spending hours playing outside is often such a huge part of someone's childhood - building dens, observing insects, playing with a ball, exploring the world around them. We spend a lot of time either in the garden, at local parks, visiting old houses with beautiful gardens or simply walking around our village. The outside is the perfect place to teach children new things, how to stay safe and start conversations with them. Isabella and I often walk up to the village shop or post box and we will chat away - sometimes about the pretty flowers or about crossing the road safely or spotting wildlife or what we're doing for the day or what we need to buy from the shop.

Being outside is fun, that is until someone gets hurt. Children seem to have an incredible ability to graze their knees, perhaps they move faster or are less cautious, but I can't remember the last time I grazed my knee! Either way it's never nice when your child comes crying to you with an injury of some description, looking for some comfort. When Isabella hurts herself (usually as a result of losing control when running too fast) she's straight over to either my husband or I for a cuddle. My most used technique for calming her down is definitely the distraction technique, it works wonders!

Isabella is one of those children who's own reaction to a situation is very much led by an adult's reaction, in other words if I panicked she'd panic, if I smile she'll think there's less to worry about. So it is key to use a 'happy voice' when she's fallen over, as to help calm her down. Even if inside I'm panicking about what to do!
Below are my three steps to calming down an injured child:
(When I say an 'injured toddler' I'm referring to one that will survive the ordeal with minimal first aid...no hanging off limbs etc.)

1) Say something like 'Oh dear, have you had a little tumble/bump?' in a high pitched, over enthusiastic, children's tv presenter type voice. Sometimes that'll be enough to convince your child that the blood pouring from said injury is nothing to worry about, but most of the time be prepared to step up your game.   

2) Try the whole 'silly path/tree/stones/object that caused the injury' line. You may be greeted with a faint smile as your child finds it funny to call something silly. Partial distraction complete.

3) If that doesn't work then some serious distraction may be required, we're talking 'WOW WHAT IS THAT OVER THERE? while trying to hunt for the pack of Elastoplast Star Wars or Frozen plasters you know you have in your changing bag/backpack somewhere. This works especially well if your child is particularly into either of these films. Though Isabella has never seen Frozen she knows the characters and songs from her older cousin and she loves it! We have daily renditions of 'Let it go' (just that phrase repeated multiple times...oh yes) and anytime she sees a Frozen character we are treated to an extra showing. This is why the Elastoplast character plasters work so well as a distraction, they're a talking point and one that has almost nothing to do with the scrap/graze/bump. They take children to a happy time, something they enjoy or at the very least are a talking point - who is on your plaster? What do you think their name is? Did you know that this is a very special plaster because it has xyz on it? Xyz is going to use their magic powers to cover up your scratch and make it better etc. As parents we're all good at using our imagination and thinking on our feet, children have a habit of catching us off guard at the best of times!
Hopefully we'll all have a long summer of playing outside and if/when injuries happen it's good to know that Elastoplast can help turn #TearsIntoSmiles!

What's your favourite/most used technique when it comes to calming your injured child down?

Feel free to leave a comment - I love reading every single one :)

Helen x

*This post is an entry for the BritMums #TearsintoSmiles Challenge, sponsored by Elastoplast. http://campaigns.elastoplast.net/plastermoments/uk
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15 comments

  1. Great tips here, and so true your reaction is the best thing ever, we also used to have magic fruit that would help it or magic cream that would take it all away (usually when there was nothing to see if the first place). Pretty plasters always make things better as well x

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  2. Lovely tips here I admit I am one for the distraction technique although I usually try to give some love to the injury first x

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  3. Some great advice here. The distraction technique always seemed to work well for us!

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  4. Great tips and I think we're very much "dust yourself down and get on with it" parents rather than the screaming, making a fuss ones!! Thanks for sharing for #marvmondays

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  5. Hahah great advice! I tend to just ignore them when they have a fall unless I can see blood. I find if they get even the slightest sniff of some sympathy they lay it on thick, so pretending it didn't happen is the way forward!!

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  6. Great tips - Alexander had a fall on the way to nursery just today. I'm a 'happy voice' and patterned plasters kind of soother. #MarvMondays

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  7. I have to say in my experience of looking after kids, the distraction technique seems to work best x

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  8. Getting outdoors is so important, whatever you're doing. And a wee supply of plasters always helps!

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  9. How cute is the Olaf plaster. I think the distraction technique is the best. I use it on my little clumsy cousin all the time!

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  10. So horrible when they fall over. Plasters can be the perfect distraction for little cuts and scrapes. I love the picture ones.
    My son had a horrible accident at school a few months ago, slipped on a wet floor and split his chin wide open. When I arrived, he was covered in blood, and cuddling in to a teacher. He saw me and burst in to tears again. But I had come prepared, I had Bill Bear Baggins and his mussie (his two most favourite things), so cuddles, and comforts and lots of distraction talk, while trying not to cry myself.

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  11. Great plaster designs! My daughter loves getting plasters *rolls eyes*

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  12. What adorable plasters, I think eliza would keep injuring herself to get a new one LOL

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  13. I sing Edelweiss to mine - I sang it to them when they were babies & it always calms them down #marvmondays

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  14. I sing Edelweiss to mine - I sang it to them when they were babies & it always calms them down #marvmondays

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  15. Great post and thanks for taking part on behalf of BritMums

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