Let it Go - Emotions are energy in motion

Ages 4–10 is the sweet spot— although older children have also benefited from the lessons in the book, often by reading to their younger siblings. Let It Go encourages children to explore what emotions feel like in their body and find a unique way to release them. Join Aroha and her friends as they navigate their way through four emotions: sadness, anger, shame and fear. The Latin derivative for the word emotion, ‘emotere,'  literally means energy in motion. We show this in the book by the way of an energy line moving through the pages. Following on from the huge success of 'Aroha's Way', Aroha and her friends are again showing children they are not alone in feeling uncomfortable emotions and empowering them with strategies to manage those feelings when they arise.

It shows emotions as "energy in motion"— meaning that when we are ready we can release them. Aroha and friends demonstrate safe releases; breathing to find calm, journaling, making friends with our fear, a simple ritual for sadness. Parents say: "Excellent book with practical ways to release emotions. I am enjoying going through this book in my own family. It’s great at giving some practical and easy tools to help kids to feel and then release their emotions. As an OT, I feel this one is going to come in handy in practice too!”

Most books name feelings and stop. We show they're energy that must move. It's the cycle-breaker teaching kids to release emotions safely, building emotional intelligence early to prevent self-destruction issues that come from not being able to give space to our emotions. It teaches children that emotions are messengers, there to help us learn and grow. From the book, ‘There are lessons in feelings – even big ones, you know. They are there to be felt, they’ll help you to grow.’

It's for everyone! The back has parent/teacher notes expanding on each emotion with questions you can ask your child and things you can try together when that emotion comes to visit. It helps parents understand the importance of holding space for a child to FEEL and not rush the emotion away (that can be very hard as a parent watching your child experience an uncomfortable emotion). However, when a child learns they are safe in their body no matter what emotion visits it will help them not turn to other unhealthy options to try and avoid emotions later in life. From a counsellor, “A perfect guide for emotional regulation. I am a counsellor, and this book is a great aid in helping my clients understand those big emotions and how to safely self-regulate. Beautifully written and illustrated.”

Like anything in life, the more you practice the better you become. I believe that reading our books regularly will help wire a child with the understanding that emotions come and go, they flow like a tide. That they can feel safe in their body and just need to give an emotion some time. Labelling an emotion can help take away a lot of the power. Learning ways to release emotions in safe and healthy ways can prevent a huge list of issues later on in life. Emotional intelligence boosts focus, resilience, and grades—kids who regulate emotions score 15–20% higher academically (CASEL studies). Early emotional intelligence learning cuts adult mental health risks by half (Harvard Grant Study). These kids grow into people who listen, lead, and lift others—creating a world with less harm, more compassion. From a grandparent, “A lovely gentle book to read with my 8-year-old grandchild about recognizing different emotions, seeing emotions as energy and learning different techniques to manage them. Beautiful illustrations help prompt the discussions.”