Words cannot adequately convey my enthusiasm for this Inside Out-inspired toolbox by my friend Mrs. Warde over at Sceleratus Classical Academy. It’s a wonderful, imaginative way to take the lessons from the hit movie into one’s home, homeschool, or even a classroom.
I grew up in households that did not talk about emotions and expected you to stop strong emotions before they became a problem. It was the exact opposite of what I needed due to my history, and as a result I grew up stuffing emotions until I couldn’t take it any longer and exploded. To be fair, this it is how my grandparents were raised and was they only way they knew. But I am determined to do better for my own kids. The problem is, until very recently, never having been taught any tools I was unsure what to tell my own kids. I also lacked any confidence that what I might come up with is “right.” That’s where Disney’s new movie, Inside Out, really helped me.
What Mrs. Warde describes is an issue common to many parents–and a big reason why families are responding so favorably to this fantastic movie.
As someone who just spent two years thinking and writing about relational aggression–and what families can do to nurture healthy relationships, I love how how she pairs easy-to-craft projects with the movie’s over-arching theme: emotions are normal.
Be sure to see her emotions-themed Pinterest board, too.