During our Inside Out theme at kids’ yoga class, we learned that all feelings are normal and need to be expressed in a healthy way. Everyone feels angry, sad, and anxious at times. Sometimes we stuff our feelings inside and pretend that we are okay. Instead, we need to fully feel our emotions to work through them and move on. There are 3 important steps to manage our emotions (1.) Notice your emotions and where you feel them in your body. (2.) Express your feelings in whatever way feels best for you. (3.) Get help when you need it.
We shared our favorite Inside Out characters and discussed which ones we can relate to most. The little yogis liked Bing Bing because they enjoy being creative and using their imaginations. They thought Anger was funny because he is such a hot head (literally), but they acknowledged that they do not like to be laughed at when they are mad. They could relate to Disgust when they are annoyed with their sibling or are expected to eat a new food. They feel Fear when someone jumps out to scare them or they worry about what other people think. Fear can help us to avoid danger, but it can also prevent us from feeling joy. They thought Sadness was cute, but this is the emotion that they liked the least. I had to remind them that without sadness, there is no joy. When we become aware of uncomfortable emotions, we can take deep belly breaths, express our feelings, and get help if we need it. Then it’s time to move on to the activities that we enjoy. Finally, the little yogis identified Riley’s chief emotion as Joy, which is probably the case for many children before they are faced with the real world.
Ultimately, we concluded that we can all do hard things for short periods because nothing lasts forever, and feelings change over time. We can get through difficulties, even if it doesn’t seem possible in the moment. As a veteran schoolteacher and SEL (Social Emotional Learning) educator, I cannot stress enough how important it is to normalize children’s emotions. We are unable to process what we cannot identify. This is the human experience. We all struggle at times. It is unhealthy to pretend that we do not. There can be no light without darkness and we will continue to face challenges throughout our lives. Let’s support one another and build each other up.
