The Cloud Who Learned to Rain

I want to have a hard conversation with you.

The other day I was subbing for a class of future educators. We began to discuss how to teach emotional regulation. I have plenty of training in the Conscious Discipline school of thought, but there is no God involved there. Can we include God in teaching our kids emotional regulation? Better yet, can we include God in our own emotional regulation?

Of course, in public school we are limited in our ability to bring up God. I asked the question, How many of you have ever been in trouble for crying? I was shocked at the response!

Little ones cry so easily, when do we lose this ability? Or what is the balance between crying over every little thing and holding it all in because we are afraid to cry? Where does the fear come from?

I seem to hold in my emotions. I am a terrible communicator and I have had to learn some hard lessons in this area along the way. This brings me to my next point. Prayer.

Prayer is the ultimate emotional regulator. Somehow it squeezes the tears out of you and brings you into a place where you begin to see everything differently.

I want to unpack this in the framework of The Cloud Who Learned to Rain.

Henry the cloud is heavy with rain but he can't seem to let it go. What is your rain that you can't let go? Is it sadness, bitterness, anger, or loneliness? Is it business and stress? Henry is mostly sad because he hasn't learned to rain. He begins to compare himself to the other clouds.

Comparison is one of my biggest pet peeves. Honestly, I see so much hurt come from comparison.

Henry comparing himself to the other clouds leads him to a complex emotion, anxiety. Let's talk about anxiety.

Kids experience anxiety and may present with a stomach ache or some kind of unwanted behavior. I am not a mental health professional, but I do know that anxiety is extremely common. But why? Scripture says to be anxious for nothing! "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

I left out these ideas in the book, but if you choose to bring God into the equation, this is an option.

Henry's sadness and anxiety, led to anger and loneliness. I know people who isolate themselves when they feel sad and anxious, and it is no surprise that they become angry and blame others for their loneliness. If you are anxious there is a God who will take your heavy burden.

Hope is a friend who comes alongside Henry and walks him through how to release his emotions. In most elementary classrooms today you are going to see images of a drain, pretzel, and a star. These are all visuals for different ways to breathe.

The drain is when you squeeze your fist together and breathe in, and then release your fist and breathe out. The pretzel is when you breathe in, cross the arms and clasp your hands, then bring them to the chest. Then breathe out and release the hands. The star is when you reach out in a star shape and breathe in, and then breathe out when you bring your arms in. The idea is that we are getting kids to breathe. Adults, it works, try it!

I think that this a great first step. But the human condition needs God. When you read this book to your kids, if you are free to bring up Jesus, please do. When you are able to teach a child to pray and give God their burdens, you are teaching them a lifelong skill that could possible save their life someday.

Don't be afraid to release your emotions. You have to make room in your heart for joy and peace. The evaporation of life will fill your cloud with negativity, don't let it weigh you down. The enemy wants to cause a drought in your life. Learn to release the rain.

Musically,

Destenee Donohoo