In a world where many performances and stories for young children tend to focus solely on positive emotions, Gateway Theatre’s latest production, When Sadness Comes To Call, stands out by fearlessly tackling the difficult topic of sadness.
Accompanied by live music and brought to life with vibrant sets and immersive acting, When Sadness Comes To Call provides a safe space for children to learn and connect with their emotions.
Through gentle interactions and heartfelt moments, this unique production encourages children to develop a deeper understanding of what it means to feel sad. The show ignites conversations about emotions that are often misunderstood or overlooked, and it recognizes the importance of acknowledging and embracing emotional negativity as a vital part of our human experience.
As parents, we often strive to shield our children from sadness, aiming to provide them with a happy and carefree existence. However, life is not always a bed of roses, and by exposing our children to the world of negative emotions like sadness, we allow them to normalize the experience of feeling a range of emotions.
This, in turn, becomes a stepping stone towards learning to express emotions in a healthy and constructive manner.
Inspired by the poignant book by Eva Eland, When Sadness Comes to Call gives the audience several ways in which they can support our children when they experience sadness, and help foster emotional growth and well-being.
Validating Emotions
When sadness engulfs our children, it is vital to create a safe space where they feel heard and understood. Acknowledge their feelings and reassure them that it is okay to feel sad. By validating their emotions, we foster a sense of emotional security, allowing them to process their feelings and build resilience.
Modelling Empathy and Compassion
Teach your child empathy and compassion by modelling these qualities in your interactions. Help them understand that everyone experiences sadness as it is a normal part of life. By cultivating empathy, they learn to recognise and relate to the emotions of others, promoting emotional intelligence and social connection.
If we haven’t learnt to be honest with our own emotions ourselves, then it will most definitely be difficult for our children to do the same. Ian Loy, director of When Sadness Comes to Call and also a father of two, shares his own experience,
“Many times, our fear of confronting our own emotions is to the detriment of ourselves and our loved ones, especially our children. Being vulnerable with my own children and expressing my sadness helps me and my children learn about our emotions and strengthens our relationship further.”
Encouraging Expression
Encourage your child to express their sadness in healthy ways. Artistic outlets, such as drawing, painting, or writing, provide a creative channel to externalise their emotions. Similarly, engaging in imaginative play helps them explore their feelings and gain control over their experiences.
Encourage your children to talk about what they express and how they feel by creating a child-friendly space for them, and don’t forget to be open with them about it!
Learning Resilience
Sadness often arises from challenging situations or disappointments. Instead of shielding your child from these experiences, empower them to develop resilience. Guide them in finding constructive solutions, fostering a sense of autonomy.
This process builds their confidence in navigating future challenges and demonstrates that they can overcome adversity.
“The greatest tests of our mental resilience are usually shaped by disappointment. Sadness can be the avenue and stepping stone for your child to grow up, and we can teach our children to know that sadness will not always remain, and that there can be rainbows after the tears,” remarks Ian.
Helping our children navigate sadness is an essential part of their emotional development. As we embrace emotions like sadness, we can empower our children to embrace all facets of their emotional journey.
Plays like When Sadness Comes To Call demonstrate how the arts can introduce difficult concepts to young audiences in a way that is fun and easy to understand, and inspire conversations about self-discovery and emotional exploration.
By letting our children engage in such artistic experiences, we can help them emotional maturity and strengthen their ability to navigate setbacks, dilemmas, and other challenging circumstances that life may present to them.
Gateway Theatre will also be staging an additional production later in the year titled The Race Around the Moon on 23 September. In conjunction with Mid-Autumn Festival, the story revolves around friendship and coping with disappointment, told through the classic tales of Chang’e, Jade Rabbit, and Wu Gang. More details will be released closer to the staging date.