1234 let the yucky feeling go

It poured and poured for hours! The roads were flooded and for once Singapore was a mess. We had a tough time getting to and from school. But once home, we warmed up with hot chocolate, cheese pakoras and French toast. The rain is lovely when you can enjoy it in the snugness of your home!

V suddenly sprang up from his chair to peek out through the window. “Amma, what happens to all the construction workers who are working outside?” I said that most of them continue working with raincoats and umbrellas. And yes, he did see tiny little figures in yellow moving around.

V’s face fell and he said ‘paavam, I feel like crying for them’. I hugged him and said that it was alright to feel sad but to remember that the men were working towards a purpose which was to earn as much as they could everyday back home for their families. That actually made it worse as V then started wondering about the families and the children far from their Dadas.

I explained to him that life wasn’t easy for many people. Money came with a lot of hardwork and even then not a lot of it. Of course, he had seen people begging in India. Both kids would insist that we give every passing beggar some money. We indulged them but also had to explain that some people genuinely needed the money while some others were just being naughty. After that every other beggar V saw, he would ask if they were really hungry or just plain lazy!

We want our children to be happy and successful and Emotional Intelligence plays a crucial role towards the achievement of that plan. My kids too have their mood swings. And when they get angry, we first acknowledge the feeling and then sing a song with them which goes '1234 let the yucky feeling go'. They can sing it as loud and as awfully as they want to. they let off steam and then begin to calm down. The same for excitement. At times when they get excited they go berserk. I've asked them to first give me a tiiiiight hug and show me how excited they are....and somehow this helps!


I was glad…very glad that my son actually noticed and thought about the construction workers. The very fact that he empathised and thought beyond himself and his comforts warmed my heart......a lot more than the frothy cup of cocoa in my hands!