Emotions/Anxiety

“I don’t always have to attend assemblies because sometimes the noise and all the people give me too much anxiety, and my coping beaker fills up too quickly for me to control with breathing, or in time for me to tell anyone” (p 148). Consider the idea of a ‘coping beaker’. What things fill up Alex’s beaker and why? What strategies does he have when his beaker is full, and how do his strategies change throughout the novel? What things might fill up your own ‘coping beaker’? What do you do when you’re feeling like this, and what are some ways you could cope with these feelings?

“I feel sad and tired inside and also on the outside, but I don’t tell Mum because my head and my words are the most tired.” (p 120-121). Why might it sometimes be challenging for Alex to identify his emotions and communicate how he’s feeling to others? Do you ever find this difficult? As a group, discuss some things you could try to help express when you’re feeling upset or overwhelmed.