As an entertainer, in a previous life, I wrote a show (large amounts of music) for primary children called The Monster Tamer Show. It was pointing out that our emotions are always ours i.e. we can't blame anyone else for how we are feeling. Even if we are upset or angry, we still choose how we respond to them. We are always boss of our emotions.

The show used the idea that sometimes it feels like our emotions 'boss us around', if not somebody else, with what they do to us. It might feel like a 'monster' inside us takes us over and does things that we're not proud of. With that picture in mind, maybe we can be monster tamers by accepting that it's okay to feel sad, lonely, upset, angry... Maybe we can take charge of our monster or tame our monster by choosing how we respond to each of those emotions.

By conceptualising the problem as a 'monster', there is a better chance that people will see themselves as in control.

I'm thinking that a class agreement on attitudes would be a good starting point, arrived at by group consultation. We call ours an Essential Agreement. It's good to be able to compare our attitudes and behaviour to it regularly.

I just read from Skip's page that I was going to upload an mp3 of some music. I realise that I can't as that album was sadly only on cassette - gives an idea that it's a few years old now.

Welcome, Marg!
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