The Energy Inside: Stories to Name, Notice, Normalize & Nurture Feelings for Children.

In Manifestation Therapy® we know that everything is energy, and the universe is always responding to how we feel and what we focus on. Today I am going to talk about how we talk to the little humans in our lives about this energy and the universal principles.

It can be a challenge at times as parents, to shift our energy. What can seem even more difficult is how to create the positive scripts and energy in our children when we are trying to battle our own imprinted messages and shifts. 

But it really is easy to explain and teach our children the universal principles with some general guidance. Children are already those open, waiting books to be filled with new messages, and their energy is eager to be developed and guided.

Our children have not had the years of messages in teaching them to ignore the connection of their thoughts, emotions, sensations, or their behaviours and what they experience internally and externally. At least we hope they have not had these messages. 

Side note I have realized recently that both of my girls have now made it past the very young age I was when I was first abused. Isn’t that amazing? They already have been given more safety and protection than I had. Score for ending that cycle.

So we understand how our children have big emotions, so much big energy - and that they are truly wanting to understand it! None of us are not born wanting to be imprinted with messages of negative attachment, possibility or self-worth. In fact it is the opposite, we are biologically set to need, attract, and attempt positive connections in our basic and higher needs.

Children crave positive connection, experiences and learning. They may get pretty loud and at times triggering to us when they show this craving, but that is ultimately what they are looking for. 

What we need to always understand is that we are their best potential and biggest erasers. Just as much as they are ours!

When children begin to understand their internal world, they become more conscious creators of their experience. Children can learn young how to attract positive energy, manipulate their own energy (and ours) and what supports them to feel best. It can be fun to teach them.

Helping the little humans in your life learn emotional regulation through this connected energy and you will also help them learn how to:

• Tune into their body (which is self-awareness)
  
• Align with love and safety (which is secure attachment)
  
• Make choices that feel good (to develop positive intuition and aligned intention.
  

That’s the foundation of Manifestation Therapy®—creating from a place of energetic connection, safety, and self-worth in which to expand into your full potential. 

Just as when working with adults, we do not need to teach our children to memorize every universal principle for them to understand that what is connected within their bodies will align with what is in their external world.

When we teach kids that they have the power to notice, name, and shift energy in their bodies, they learn how to self-regulate, connect, and feel safe in their bodies. When they have this as a foundation for who they are then they are able to regulate when things around them are not so calm.

We all feel energy - all the time. 

We know from science that the neurotransmitters firing in our brain create emotional energy that shifts into our nervous system in the form of chemical messengers like cortisol, dopamine, and serotonin—shaping how we feel, react, and store emotional experiences in the body. This sends us an urge to react with behaviours - at times more impulsively than others if it feels like a threat, or the brain perceives it as similar to a previous threat.

In Manifestation Therapy®, we teach that our thoughts, feelings, somatic experience, and behaviours are the energy that creates our reality. This is governed by specific, ancient laws of the universe. To learn to navigate or direct this energy it all begins with awareness. 

When we work with children, we want to help them learn to notice how their body feels when they’re having emotions. Before we even teach them to connect with their thoughts, it is important for them to understand how it feels to be happy, anxious, sad, excited, or angry. Understanding this can help them feel empowered to respond to these emotions, and give them positive messages for their future, and the possibility of their success in all ways.

We have all likely told a child to stop a certain behaviour attached to their emotion. “Stop crying.”, “Don’t hit your sister.”, “Stop that screaming.”

They are reacting because they do not have a developed impulse control and their brain is signalling super fast that survival means reaction. Rather than connection. Unfortunately they are also often trying to mirror how we are. Big oops there - but do not feel shame if you haven’t always displayed the best reactions yourself. As I said before - we are also our childrens biggest erasers.

Rather than punishing or pushing emotions away, we can learn with them to create space for the N’s.

• Noticing the feeling - We learn to ask “What are you noticing in your body right now?” or, “What were you noticing a few moments ago when you [describe the behaviour that happened]?” When we ask them to notice what happened in their body, they draw awareness towards their body and we remove any shame they may have from the behaviour (the reaction).
  
• Naming the feeling - Asking what the feeling they are experiencing is through an identification sheet, or even playing a game with facial expressions for different emotions so they can understand and name exactly what they experience. Giving the emotional experience language helps everyone feel understood and in control.
  
• Normalizing the feeling - Understanding that every emotion is okay to have, and that we are not just meant to have them, we can learn from them and everyone has emotion. “Mommy gets angry a lot when I feel like I am not being listened to.” or, “Daddy gets sad when he loses his car keys, just like you did when you lost your bunny.” We need to have emotions to learn what we need, want, or what matters to us.
  
• Nurturing the feeling - Understanding and appreciating what the feeling is telling us can be a great opportunity for connection. Just allowing the feeling to move through the body can help it shift and release. Describe the emotion through colour, shape, texture, temperature.

We also talk about how feelings don’t stay forever. They move like waves in the ocean, and with mindfulness, breath, and grounding, kids learn to ride the wave instead of getting knocked over by it. It’s just emotion, feel it, breathe through it and it will be over. 

Make the learning about emotions fun. I often play games with children to help identify emotions by how the facial expression changes, or we behave. For example, my daughter loves to make really exaggerated facial expressions that are tied to the identification of emotions. We start with the easy ones like feeling angry, feeling sad, feeling happy. Then we work up to feeling surprised or feeling jealousy. All emotions are okay to have.

So I’m going to focus on a few strategies I use with littles. Like 3-12 age range. Which is when it’s all about building awareness, healthy attachment, acceptance.

I ask the littles in my life if they can feel what is happening in their body - when they have a feeling. What do they feel inside, when they are mad, happy, sad. This isn’t during a big melt down, this is in quiet connecting times. Letting them know that what they feel in their bodies, when they have a big feeling is actually energy moving around inside of them. It’s their bodies way of getting their attention.

I have made up this analogy of a bubble bath. Because who doesn’t love a bubble bath, right?

Social stories are ways that our littles learn, because they aren’t really totally able to relate to themselves as separate from us sometimes when young. As a side note - this is also why what you read to them - and what they watch - is actually so important and impactful. It is how they get imprinted with messaging.

The Bubble Bath Story 🛁✨

Did you know your thoughts and feelings are kind of like a bubble bath?

Let’s pretend your body is the bathtub.

When something happens in your day—like someone says something or something doesn’t go your way—it’s like pouring water into the tub. That water is your thoughts.

Now imagine adding bubble soap—that’s the event that happens. When the water and the soap mix, they make bubbles. And those bubbles are your feelings.

Sometimes the water flows really fast, like when your mind is full of thoughts—zoom zoom! That can make lots of big bubbles—big feelings.
Other times, the water is slow and calm, and you just get a few little bubbles—gentle, smaller feelings.

If you splash or move a lot in the tub, bubbles go everywhere! That’s like when your feelings feel too big and spill out on others.

But if you move gently, the water stays calm and the bubbles are easier to play with. Just like when you slow down, your feelings calm too.

And here’s a secret: when the bath is done and the water goes down the drain, sometimes a few bubbles get stuck.
If we don’t clean them up, they can get messy later. That’s like not listening to your feelings—they can get stuck and show up later when we least expect them!

But guess what?
Your feelings are like bubbles trying to tell you something. They speak a special message.

So next time you feel a big emotion, you can ask:

🛁 What’s pouring into my tub?
💭 What kind of thoughts am I having?
💫 What are my bubbles (feelings) trying to tell me?
🤲 What can I do to help them feel safe and calm?

Your bubble bath feelings are part of being human—and you can learn to listen, take care of them, and let them float away. 💖

You are connected inside, with your thoughts, feelings and body - just like in the tub the water and bubbles are connected. So, the next time your having a lot of big feelings, try to remember this story and how your thoughts are part of your feelings, and what is happening in your body too.

You can use anything, really that is a connection and your kids like. The bubble bath is just one example.

Another example actually came to me when I was reading a story about wolves with my daughter. In part of it there is an explanation of how wolves communicate. It’s actually pretty spectacular. Also - what a great way to explain to our littles how their feelings also have messages.

The wolf story:

Did you know animals have feelings too—and they show them in different ways, just like we do?

Our feelings are like little messengers inside us. They try to tell us what we need—like a hug, some space, or to feel safe.

When we listen to those feelings and talk about them, it helps us feel better.

But sometimes, when we don’t listen, those feelings can get really loud—like yelling, whining, or stomping. That’s usually a sign that we didn’t understand what our body was trying to say.

And when our feelings get loud like that, it can be hard for others to understand us too.

Imagine a wolf howling. It’s not just about making that really cool noise. The wolf is actually wanting to connect with their pack. They are saying “Hey you! I’m over here! I need to feel close to you!”

Does that sound familiar? Because sometimes when you get super loud, all you need is a hug. Lately, when you start to feel that way you ask for a hug instead of how you used to stomp and scream, and when we hug - the feelings inside you get better right? You are listening to the message of your feelings and in your body!

You listened to your feelings and you told me what you needed. That’s powerful!

Sometimes a wolf whimpers. When they do that they may even tuck their tails and lower their ears. This is the way they are showing they are scared. What happens to you when you get scared? Do you feel like your small? Your heart goes super fast? It’s your body saying “I don’t feel safe right now.”

Mommy can’t always tell when your scared, but if you tell me I always try to be with you, hold your hand or help you feel safe. Everyone is scared sometimes. Even a powerful wolf. When I am afraid I like to take some big breaths.

A wolf also has a growl. Sometimes it will even show it’s super sharp teeth and hunch up it’s back. That’s its way of saying, “I don’t like this. Back off!” The wolf is angry and wanting to protect themself.

Now, you don’t growl or show your teeth (thank goodness!), but you do have other ways of showing when you are angry.

Your body tells you that you are angry by becoming really tense. Your eyebrows go down, maybe you cross your arms, shout, stomp, or cry. It is your feelings saying, “Something doesn’t feel fair or kind right now. I do not like how I am being treated.”

I get angry too. Especially when I feel like noone is listening to me. Think of in the morning when Mommy is trying to get ready for work and I ask you and your sister to put your shoes on - over and over. I get pretty angry after asking a few times, right? My voice gets louder and louder!

That’s ok, everyone will get angry at something. It is just a feeling, and it is just reminding us that something is important to us - that we value something. We do not need to bare our teeth and growl like a wolf - just like Mommy knows I do not need to yell - though sometimes I do. We just need to recognize that we are feeling angry, and communicate what we need, in a way that we can be heard.

So instead of screaming and stomping your feet, it may help just to say how you are feeling angry next time. Talk about it, and see what your body needs.

This is so cool because—every feeling is important. Every feeling is giving us a message. Like a super cool code, and we just need to understand the code. Like the secret language that wolves have with each other, our feelings have for our own bodies.

Even the feelings that feel a little yucky or way too big in your body are important to have. 

Every feeling is giving you a message about something you care about or need.

Guess what? You have power over your feelings—not by ignoring them or pushing them away, but by listening to them, understanding them, and choosing what to do next. Just sometimes you need to learn to make that choice because your brain needs time to figure out how.

Wolves howl, whimper, growl, and bark too when they have feelings and are communicating what their needs are. Their body let’s them know what they need to survive, and they communicate it through actions, sounds, and language.

Just like the wolves do; you can use your body, words and energy to move, change, and get what you need. Feelings are energy—they move, they change, and they grow. 

That’s how you become the leader of your own pack—strong, kind, and powerful inside.

There is one more social story I’m going to share, because understanding the connection is important, as is the way feelings speak to us - but maybe even more important is the power that we all have to learn to shift from reaction to response.

This is the Remote Control we have inside of us. I have even used this with adults.

The Remote Control:

Wanna know a secret to controlling your feelings better? You have something called an energy control inside of you. Imagine an actual remote control, like for our television, but this one is inside of your body. It connects from your mind, to the rest of you with energy.

This remote has buttons that you can press to tell your thoughts, emotions and body what to do.

You can press buttons like:

• Breathe - This button will help you with a big breath in and out. Sometimes you can even push and hold it. Take a big breath in, hold it, then slowly let it out in a great big sigh. It can be fun to make a big noise when you sigh too!
• Wiggle - This button will get you moving! It really doesn’t matter if it’s just your hands shaking and jumping or if you get up and start dancing, jumping, or shaking. When you wiggle and respond to big emotions this way it will help get the stuck energy free.
• Opposite - This is a great button. You know everything has an opposite? Energy is the same. Big and small, short and tall, dark and light. Well if you do the opposite of what that big emotion is urging you to do in reacting than it will help free your energy and calm your body, brain and feelings. If you want to yell - try whispering. If you want to cry, try laughing. It can be fun to do with with grown-ups too.
  
  
• Talk - When you talk about how your feeling it can help your body and mind know that you are listening to the message from the energy. We all love to be heard, and so do your feelings. So if you tell a grown-up it helps your energy calm.
  
  
• Imagination - Anything you can do that involves art, playdough, colouring, or even stories will change your big uncomfy energy into light and colourful energy. Give your feelings colours, shapes, temperatures. Let that move through your body, and you can imagine it sinking into the ground or floating away from you.

Your remote control is in your mind, but it connects right into your body and your feelings. The more you play with this particular remote, the faster the energy buttons will work! All of this helps your brain, feelings and body better, so you can feel more calm, happy, or safe.

Here is a secret. If the remote control was not programmed to work with the tv, and did not have batteries - it would not work. Just like you need to teach yourself these buttons and how they work, and always take care of your body with healthy energy like food, exercise and love to give yourself ‘batteries’.

Our littles can learn the connection of their energy, and how this supports them having their needs met, building their own power and self-love, and even how this connection will build on attracting positive into their lives through social stories like the few I mentioned here.

By learning this connection early, by understanding the power they have over their feelings, thoughts and body they will have resilience to face anything, to reach their goals, to succeed in life.

We can also learn, through these lessons, what we need to shift, to expand, to heal. Through the shaping of who we could have been, without the struggles we may have had, into who we can be now. It is truly amazing.

That’s it for now. Please like, share, review, show some support and check out more if you would like to work with me.