The Lost Shell

"The Tantrum" is no stranger to most of us. In supermarket queues the sight and sound of a prostrate three-year-old giving it all in the pursuit of emotional release, is not something to forget. Yet, this plucky little person is expressing how it feels to be in the grip of a tangle of unidentifiable emotions, unable to communicate when asked "What's the matter. " In the simple story of The Lost Shell, a Granny uses story to find a way through the confusion of a child's pent-up emotions, preceding the birth of a sibling. The Lost Shell is designed to be enjoyed by carer and child together, and allows the child to read the pictures and tell the story in their own words. In talking about the story and pictures the child may identify with some of the emotions shown there. Among the possible feelings may be anger, sadness, loss, separation, love, comfort, change, joy, friendship, co-operation, curiosity, generosity, kindness, fear, achievement, and satisfaction in initiating bonding (making friends) with another. A child may recognise only a few of these feelings, but the list might prove useful to the carer, perhaps in identifying some familiar feelings of their own. We are never too old to learn. How many of us "grown-ups" have nearly "lost it" on occasion and even sensed the tantrum at our shoulder. The Lost Shell can become a delightful resource to share over and again, building mutual self-awareness while fostering the emotional intelligence, vital to navigating the future - without running aground on Tantrum Island.