Are you happy? Are you sad? Mad? Sleepy? It's good to know how you feel so you can tell others. Then they can understand you and be happy with you or help you to feel better if you are tired or sad. Many of the problems in our world are because people don't know good ways to tell others how they feel. Instead of speaking quietly and explaining that they are angry or sad, they start shouting. They might also physically hurt themselves or others. Too often the people around them then say, “I didn't know that he felt like that,” or “I wish she had said something so I could have helped her.” Emotional Literacy is the ability to know how you feel, understand why and calmly tell others about your feelings. Research has shown that for kids to be successful in school and in life, they must have the skills to understand what they are feeling, describe their feelings and manage their feelings, in part by telling others about them. There are some good digital tools to help kids increase their Emotional Literacy. “Feelings with Milo” is an app from the Apple App Store that teaches kids to understand, manage and express their feelings. The app tries to show children that however powerful feelings may be in a certain moment, that feelings come and go and change over time. With the app, children identify the image of Milo that best represents what they are feeling. This allows them to see that their feelings are normal and shared by others. The Feelings Train then shows children how their emotions have changed over time, so kids can see that no matter what they are feeling right now, it won't last forever. There are also good Emotional Literacy tools online that can be reached through any computer. Go to http://www.relaxkids.com/21days/signup.aspx and just enter your email. Then you will receive a link to a 21 day program that will offer exercises and advice to help the entire family relax and feel better. At http://aplaceofourown.org/find_activities.php?skill=8 there are good activities for family members to do together so they learn to communicate with each other and increase Emotional Literacy. And finally, click to http://space.aboutkidshealth.ca/ and go on “Monarch's Mission.” Help Hero and Monarch save the day as they learn about feelings and make alien friends on new and exciting planets.
