The dog backed and gave August a shock. He's quite sensitive to loud noises so this made him frustrated and impulsive.

Toddlers don't have the skills to calm themselves down they they're feeling out of control – we have to teach them the regulation skills.

We've been practising the candle technique for a while now. It's a breathing strategy that support children to calm down. Here's how we do it.

Remember – you have to teach this and practice it when your child is totally fine. When they're at their absolute best, they're not in a place to learn when they're frustrated and upset.

Even if they're too heightened to participate in this in the moment – you can still model it. Your deep breathing will support their regulation and also calm you down.

So they feel like they've played a fun game with you when really they've done a deep breathing exercise. You could ask to blow their candles out too or for them to blow their own candles out.

And just like that... they're calm and ready to play again.

Watch me use the candle technique with Auggie here