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THURSDAY, <strong>10</strong>NOVEMBER, <strong>2022</strong> |THE GERALDINE NEWS |PAGE 3<br />
Renee Whiteandson Eli(3) play with feelingscards in theirpeacefulplace; Renee hasdesigned aseries of products designed to helpchildren identify theirfeelings. PHOTOS: Facebook Little People, Big Emotions<br />
Local business helping children<br />
navigate their emotions<br />
Two years ago, Geraldine local Renee White<br />
was anew mum looking for waystonavigate<br />
parenthood andraiseher son to be an emotionally<br />
intelligentand literateyoung man. Sherealised<br />
that she herself had never beentaughthow to<br />
cope with feelings of stress, sadness orgrief<br />
and wanted adifferent path for her son.<br />
Thats when Little People, Big Emotions<br />
was born. Reneebeganrunning asmallbusiness<br />
selling resources for parents, teachers and<br />
professionalstouse with children to helpteach<br />
them emotional intelligence. Renee says,<br />
I wanted to dosomething that would help<br />
support parents, help them connect andfoster<br />
agood relationship with their tamariki,<br />
something that would open the lines of<br />
communication where it was okay tohave<br />
feelingsand to identify,discuss andfind ways<br />
to copewith these.<br />
Shehas designed arangeofproducts,from<br />
posters and feelings cards to positive affirmation<br />
setsthat can be used to create apeacefulplace<br />
(calming corner) for children and adults to<br />
use in place of the traditional time out method.<br />
These productsfocus on the fivekey components<br />
of emotional intelligence and can be used to<br />
identify and namefeelings and provide calming<br />
coping strategies.<br />
Shesays, Itsabout, as asociety, reframing<br />
feelingsfrom good andbad,insteadidentifying<br />
whether they are low or high energy feelings<br />
and if they feel pleasant or unpleasant in our<br />
bodies. Thereare times we are all angry or feel<br />
like crying; these are not bad feelings; they<br />
just feel unpleasant in ourbodies. We need to<br />
be abletoidentify and work through them.<br />
Renee has seen the success of her products<br />
first-handinher son, Eli, whoregularlyengages<br />
with the resources in his own peaceful place.<br />
I seeour productsasalong-term investment<br />
because they will literally give backtoyou your<br />
entire childs life. Having the skills to name<br />
feelings and strategiestocope with them will<br />
hopefully ensure that tamarikiwont be resorting<br />
to drasticmeasures to cope with their emotions.<br />
She is currently studying with the Peaceful<br />
ParentsInstitute to become acertified peaceful<br />
parent coach and educator while raising her<br />
twochildren Eli (3) and Lyra(<strong>10</strong> months), and<br />
runningher businesswhichhas just celebrated<br />
itsfirstanniversary. Renee says,We launched<br />
through the CHOICE website for New Zealand<br />
small businesses ayear ago, and wehad<br />
70 orders inthe first weekend, which then<br />
averaged out to about seven aweek, and we<br />
thought, This is great.But then, just lastweek,<br />
we had over 170 orders from 15different<br />
countries; its incredible to see the growth.<br />
Using mainly social media to promote and<br />
share itsresources, LittlePeople, Big Emotions<br />
nowhas over30,000followers on TikTok,and<br />
Instagram combined. I am super grateful for<br />
thesupport we have received from all over the<br />
worldand the feedback we get fromthose using<br />
our products,says Renee. They are available<br />
in both English and Te Reo, and we have<br />
Spanish, German and French in the pipeline;<br />
every day we are getting more requests for<br />
different languages.<br />
Though there have been many challenges,<br />
such as the risingcostofshipping andjuggling<br />
being amother while running asuccessful<br />
business, Renee says she is overwhelmed by<br />
the success and by the support she has received.<br />
She says, One really special moment was being<br />
able to gift resources to Oranga Tamariki and<br />
Gumboot Friday organisations. People have<br />
seen ourresources and reached out to askhow<br />
they can donate these to children that need<br />
them the most. Knowingweare abletosupport<br />
theseorganisations that are helping our tamariki<br />
andtheirmental well-being is such aprivilege.<br />
There is no slowing down for Renee, who<br />
will complete her studies at the end of the year.<br />
I am looking at running parenting courses,<br />
continuing to create more resources, having<br />
ourproducts stocked in shops and opening a<br />
fulfilment centre in the USA to make our<br />
products accessible to evenmorechildren.The<br />
future islooking busy and bright, which is<br />
terrifying and exciting at the same time.<br />
To learnmore about Reneeand LittlePeople,<br />
Big Emotions, visit littlepeoplebigemotions.co.nz<br />
or Instagram _littlepeoplebigemotions.<br />
BECKY TALBOT<br />
Abusy time for Lioness Lions Club<br />
GNews recently caught up with Geraldine<br />
District Lioness Lions Club President<br />
ElizabethWilson (pictured left) for an update<br />
on the clubs activities.<br />
ANNUAL QUIZNIGHT Twenty-twoteams<br />
of four tookpart in the annual quiz. Around<br />
$1,000was raised for Geraldine Foodbank.<br />
Local businesses and individuals donated<br />
prizes.Elizabethsays,Wereever so grateful<br />
to the community for that.<br />
REUNION CATERING The club recently<br />
raised around $2,000catering for agathering<br />
of people attending Geraldine High School<br />
in the 70s. Elizabeth says, Its the experience<br />
of members that comes to thefore whenever<br />
we have catering to do. The band of helpers<br />
from the club is tremendous. We have two<br />
or three Geraldine causes for the money<br />
to go to.<br />
GERALDINE SUMMER FETE Elizabeth<br />
says, Its aregular source of income for us<br />
to do the gate entry and taking and to help<br />
out in the area. Its sonice tobeasked to<br />
assist. Working alongsideGeraldine Lions<br />
Club members todo the job, Its acase<br />
where theLions and our club jointogether.<br />
SECRET SANTA Aweek to <strong>10</strong> days before<br />
Christmas, club members facilitate Secret<br />
Santa,basedatGeraldineCommunity Resource<br />
Centre. Elizabeth says,The Lionessesgoin<br />
and group the gifts, so theyre ready for<br />
transporting to the recommended families.<br />
We also donate tothe cause through boxed<br />
biscuits,chocolate, and other gifts that fill the<br />
gaps. Its aservice to the community.<br />
GERALDINE COMMUNITYVEHICLE TRUST<br />
THANK YOU EVENING The Lionesses are<br />
about to begin planning for the annual<br />
January event they put on for Geraldine<br />
Community Vehicle Trustcoordinators and<br />
drivers. Elizabeth says, Its athank you<br />
from the Lionessesonbehalfofthe community.<br />
We generally have itatGrande Vue [Golf<br />
Club].Weprovidethe food,and they generally<br />
have one or two speakers. We have about<br />
eight helpers.<br />
To join the GeraldineDistrictLioness Lions<br />
Club or to find out more, visit the club sFacebook<br />
page or call Elizabeth on 027 3083538.<br />
JAN FINLAYSON PHOTO: Jan Finlayson
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