Little Women — Show me your angry face!
I attended a class with 20 bright 5 years old’s yesterday. We worked on identifying emotions and discussed what we do when we feel them.
The emotion that stood out to me the most was, Anger. We all showed and identified the angry face. We then practiced some breathing techniques that will help us calm down when we are angry. As I watched adorable little girls show me their angry faces, I realised what an important feeling this was and what an impact it is going to have on the life of a woman.
As a society, we work on calming and subduing anger and often associate it with negativity. We teach our children early on that it is very important to be agreeable. In a world that is becoming increasingly complex to navigate [more so for a woman] this view of anger and what it stands for is highly problematic. A friend told me last week, “Find what makes you angry and articulate it — in your words and your actions.”
He couldn’t have put it more simply as this bring out two fundamentally important aspects:
- Anger, when channeled effectively [not subdued], helps you find your deepest passion
- We need the right words and the confidence to effectively communicate our anger to enable positive change
What does this mean for the little girl in UKG?
What does it mean for the adults in her life?
Today, let us resolve to help our girls channel their anger and be stronger, more confident women tomorrow. Here is what you can do:
1.Tell your daughters and students that it is ok to be angry.
2. Help them identify what makes them angry and who is responsible. [It is not always about dealing with it on their own. If something or someone around them is doing something that bothers your child, help her take action]
3. Give her the words to articulate it. You child should not only be able to communicate abuse but also communicate if she feels a situation or action is unjust/unacceptable in her opinion. Speak to her about things that bother her so she will build the confidence to voice her opinions to others in the long run. Let her know she has your support.
[Confidence is ranked highly as a quality essential to a good leader. Also, pointing out that men are almost always identified as more confident and more articulate. Why do you think that is?]
I cannot emphasise enough the wonders I see everyday in the classroom. Girl children are vibrant, articulate and courageous. They are unaware of a world filled with inequalities. Show her that life maybe tough, but so is she.
About the Author:
Swetha Guhan is the Co-Founder at Key Education Foundation . She has worked for 7+ years in the education space with children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. She takes a keen interest in child development and social and emotional development in the early years. When she isn’t working with children, teachers and parents, she spends her time bird watching, reading, cooking or making art.
