Parenting Perspective 

The stressful moments of parenting, such as tantrums, sibling conflicts, or the constant testing of boundaries, can quickly overwhelm a parent’s patience. In these times, the simple act of calm breathing is not just a wellness tool, but can also serve as a powerful parenting anchor. Taking a deep breath helps to slow the body’s stress response, allowing a parent to pause before reacting and creating a space for more thoughtful choices. When parents are able to pair this practice with faith and consistent routines, their children can learn that calmness is not a sign of weakness, but is in fact a sign of strength that reflects a deep trust in Allah. 

Anchor Calm Breathing to Daily Rituals 

You can introduce the practice of calm breathing at moments your children already recognise as times for quiet transition. 

• Before Salah: Take three slow, deep breaths together to help centre your focus. 

• At Bedtime: Use calm breathing as a way to release the tensions of the day. 

• After School: Share a few quiet breaths together as a ‘reset’ before beginning your family’s evening. 

Create Shared Cues for Stressful Moments 

It can be helpful to agree on a shared family phrase for stressful situations, such as, ‘Let us pause and breathe for a moment.’ You can also use playful imagery, like, ‘Let us smell the flowers and then blow out the bubbles.’ These familiar cues help a child to see the act of breathing as a natural and helpful step in calming down, rather than as a form of punishment. 

Pair Calm Breathing with Dhikr 

You can teach your children to silently recite a short dhikr as they breathe, which pairs physical calm with spiritual strength. 

• As you inhale: Think, ‘Ya Allah, grant me patience.’ 

• As you exhale: Think, ‘Alhamdulillah.’ 

This practice helps to give the heart a sense of assurance and peace while the body relaxes. 

Practise in Playful and Engaging Ways 

Younger children often benefit from learning through visual imagery. You can practise calm breathing by pretending to blow out imaginary birthday candles, slowly filling up a balloon with big breaths, or tracing a shape with a finger while inhaling and exhaling. This playful approach helps the skill to feel light and natural, not forced. 

Model the Act of Pausing to Breathe Before Reacting 

When you feel your own frustration rising, it is powerful for your child to see you pause, take a visible deep breath, and only then speak calmly. This models the quality of restraint and teaches them that calm breathing is a tool for everyone, not just for children. 

Over time, these simple routines can help to make calm breathing a shared family language of patience, transforming stressful moments into opportunities for growth and mercy. 

Spiritual Insight 

The Quran on Finding Peace in Remembrance 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Ra’ad (13), Verses 28: 

‘…Indeed, it is only with the remembrance of Allah (Almighty) that (one can (and does) find peace of mind and heart.’ 

This verse teaches us that true and lasting calmness begins in the heart and is a direct result of the remembrance of Allah. The practice of breathing, when it is paired with dhikr, connects our physical composure with this spiritual tranquillity, bringing a deeper and more profound sense of peace to both parent and child. 

Prophetic Guidance on Calming the Body to Calm the Mind 

It is recorded in Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 4782, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘If any of you becomes angry and he is standing, let him sit down, so his anger will go away; if it does not go away, let him lie down.’ 

This hadith highlights the Prophet’s ﷺ practical and wise guidance: that the act of calming the body can lead directly to calming the mind. The practice of calm breathing follows this same beautiful principle of lowering the physical intensity of a moment in order to shift our emotional state and protect our relationships from harm. By pairing these prophetic tools with dhikr and daily routines, parents can invite barakah into their homes, teaching their children that true strength lies in mercy, not in outbursts.