Parenting Perspective 

After birthdays, trips, weddings, or big social days, children often plunge from joy to tears. This reaction is not bad behaviour but a natural recovery process. The key is to manage this come-down with gentle routines, empathy, and preparation, turning a potential meltdown into a lesson in self-regulation. 

Understand the Physiological ‘Come-Down’ 

A ‘mood crash’ is the nervous system recovering from overstimulation. During exciting events, the body is flooded with hormones like adrenaline and dopamine. When these levels drop, exhaustion and irritability appear. Start by normalising it: ‘Your body feels tired now because it worked very hard to be excited. That is okay’. This recognition helps to keep guilt out of the picture and focuses on care instead of correction. 

Plan a Soft Landing 

Prevent crashes by designing a gentle return to calm. The day after a major stimulating event, leave empty space in the schedule: no guests, no errands, and no big screens. Mark it on the calendar as a ‘quiet day’. Inform your child beforehand: ‘Tomorrow is our slow day, so our bodies can rest’. Keep meals steady, ensure high hydration, and aim for an earlier bedtime than usual. Predictability restores the body’s natural rhythm more effectively than lectures about attitude. 

Provide Regulation Tools, Not Rebuke 

When the crash hits, skip analysis and move into grounding techniques. Offer slow sensory input, such as a warm bath, rhythmic rocking, a gentle massage, or soft dhikr music. Encourage deep breathing with short anchors: ‘In for four, out for six, Alhamdulillah’. Avoid trying to reason with them in the middle of a meltdown, as the brain cannot process logic while tired. Once they are calm, help them to name the state: ‘That was a big day; your body is tired, not broken’. Labelling the feeling with empathy leads to a faster recovery. 

Establish ‘After-Joy Rituals’ 

Create simple post-event routines that signal closure. These ‘After-Joy Rituals’ could include unpacking gift bags together, writing a thank-you note, or sharing one favourite memory before placing a keepsake in a ‘good-day box’. These small actions help the brain to file the experience neatly instead of replaying it endlessly. For recurrent triggers, like weekend gatherings or school fairs, repeat the same closure pattern each time so that celebration and recovery become two halves of one whole. 

Model Healthy Decompression 

Show your own process of winding down: ‘I loved meeting everyone, but now I need some quiet time with tea and deep breaths’. Children learn self-regulation by imitation. Encourage still activities that help rebuild serotonin, such as drawing, reading, or gentle walks in nature. Reframe the crash as a mercy, explaining that Allah Almighty made our bodies smart; they slow us down after too much excitement so that we can rest. This approach converts frustration into gratitude. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches that our bodies are a trust and that balance is a form of worship. The natural need for rest after excitement is not a weakness but a reflection of divine design, inviting us to find peace in remembrance and moderation. 

Finding Rest in Remembrance 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Furqaan (25), Verse 47: 

‘And it is He (Allah Almighty) Who has designated for you the night as a cover (for respite), and sleep for your rejuvenation; and designated the day for re-energising (the Earth with automated light energy).‘ 

This verse reminds us that rest is not laziness; it is part of a divine system. Teach your child that just as excitement is a blessing, recovery is also an act of worship. When they lie down, guide them in a short dhikr. The rhythm itself calms the nervous system and roots peace where adrenaline once ruled. 

Calmness as the Sunnah of Balance 

It is recorded in Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 5199, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you, and your family has a right over you.’ 

This hadith teaches that moderation and care for the body are acts of faith. After a stimulating event, tending to sleep, food, and quiet is part of fulfilling those rights. Share with your child: ‘Resting after having fun is Sunnah too. It shows gratitude for the energy Allah Almighty gave us’. 

When you treat post-event dips not as disobedience but as the body’s call for balance, recovery becomes a family practice, not a punishment. Plan soft landings, speak calmly, include dhikr in winding down, and model that serenity is strength. Over time, your child will learn that joy and stillness belong together, both gifts from Allah Almighty and both worthy of care.