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[0:01] Amy Daniels: Hello, friends. In case you have not heard, the Kitten & Clucky Podcast participated in a very special series called Big Emotions.

[0:11] Clucky: This was a collaboration.

[0:13] Amy Daniels: That sounds bad.

[0:15] Clucky: No, Clucky, it's not bad. Collaboration means a bunch of people joined in to help.

[0:20] Amy Daniels: Oh, like a work party.

[0:22] Clucky: Sure.

[0:23] Amy Daniels: Anyway, we collaborated, worked with other people, in this special series with over 40 kids podcasters.

[0:31] Clucky: The creators took clips from many different shows to help families get comfortable with big emotions.

[0:37] Amy Daniels: Because emotions are not bad, they are meant to be felt.

[0:41] Clucky: Kitten & Clucky was featured on the episode Endings and Beginnings Part 2, which featured a clip from Season 3, Episode 7, Over the Rainbow Bridge.

[0:50] Amy Daniels: If you remember, that one was filled with lots of emotions.

[0:55] Clucky: We encourage you to take a listen to the whole Big Emotions Series.

[0:59] Amy Daniels: But now, enjoy this episode of Big Emotions, Endings and Beginnings Part 2.

[1:17] Tal Kelly: Hey, welcome back. This is Tal, your producer, and this is Part 2 of our journey through Endings and Beginnings.

[1:29] Tal Kelly: I cannot believe this is the end of our series.

[1:33] Tal Kelly: It's been such a ride.

[1:35] Tal Kelly: I don't want it to end.

[1:37] Tal Kelly: But my biggest hope is that this episode is not just an ending for our season, but a brave new beginning for how you connect with your big emotions.

[1:49] Tal Kelly: There is a mountain where I walk my dog almost every day. A few months ago, a wildfire swept through, and I was flooded with emotions.

[2:02] Tal Kelly: Anxiety, sadness, memories of other places that have changed.

[2:08] Tal Kelly: The next day, it rained, and I found myself back on that mountain, thinking about how fire, although obviously alarming, is part of nature's cycle.

[2:21] Tal Kelly: It clears away the old and makes way for new growth.

[2:26] Tal Kelly: Just like that mountain, life's deepest endings, though devastating, can create space for a new beginning and transform us in unexpected ways.

[2:39] Tal Kelly: In Part 1, we explored how change can stir up a swirl of thoughts and feelings.

[2:45] Tal Kelly: Excitement, sadness, nervousness, and pride as we begin something new or say goodbye to what used to be.

[2:55] Tal Kelly: We heard stories of unexpected adventures, new homes, wild leaps into the unknown, and moments of reflection.

[3:03] Tal Kelly: We also explored how compassion and self-kindness can help us stay grounded through big emotional shifts.

[3:11] Tal Kelly: In Part 2, we're diving even deeper into the emotional waves that come with change, especially the ones that are harder to talk about, like grief, regret, and legacy.

[3:24] Tal Kelly: But we'll also explore wonder, inspiration, and the power of taking small steps towards something new.

[3:32] Tal Kelly: These next stories remind us that even when we can't see what's ahead, every beginning holds potential, and every ending holds meaning.

[3:44] Tal Kelly: So get comfy, settle in, and let's keep exploring together.

[3:55] Tal Kelly: Big

[4:00] Tal Kelly: Emotions

[4:12] Tal Kelly: Our first story tackles one of the toughest endings, saying goodbye to someone we love.

[4:17] Tal Kelly: In the upcoming clip, new characters bravely face this moment as we bid farewell to Captain Jack, the loyal old dog who's always protected the family.

[4:29] Tal Kelly: Saying goodbye is never easy, and loss is something we all face at some point.

[4:35] Tal Kelly: The creators of Kitten and Clucky wanted to open the door for families to have these important conversations.

[4:41] Tal Kelly: The show follows Kitten, a small grey cat, and Clucky, a rooster with ADHD, as they navigate life's adventures together.

[4:50] Tal Kelly: In this scene, Captain Jack has one last conversation with Rosie, a young Yorkshire Terrier.

[4:57] Tal Kelly: He knows his time is near and passes on the responsibility of protecting the family to Rosie.

[5:04] Tal Kelly: It's an ending for Jack, but a new beginning for Rosie, and for the family who must learn to move forward without him.

[5:12] Captain Jack: Rough. Hey, young whippersnapper, Rosie, come here.

[5:22] Rosie: Me? What? You want me? What's going on, Jack?

[5:28] Captain Jack: My time has come. I'm about to take my final nap.

[5:33] Rosie: What? What are you talking about? You nap all the time, amigo. What do you mean, your final nap?

[5:44] Captain Jack: I'm old, Rosie, and the time is coming when I won't be around anymore.

[5:50] Rosie: What? No, no, no, no, no. You are a member of this family. You will always be here with us.

[5:58] Captain Jack: I wish that were true, but alas, there comes a time when every dog must pass on over the Rainbow Bridge and join all the other dogs of the past in the giant dog park in the sky.

[6:11] Rosie: Ooh, that sounds like so much fun. Rainbow Bridge? Do you think you can see through it as you walk over it? And lots of other dogs to play with? Ooh, can I come too? When are you going?

[6:28] Captain Jack: You'll come one day, but not with me. You need to stay and protect the family. It will be your job now.

[6:37] Rosie: Wait, wait. Do you mean you're not coming back?

[6:43] Captain Jack: No, Rosie, I am not.

[6:46] Rosie: Well, it sounds like a really nice place with a fancy bridge and lots of playtime and running, but why wouldn't you come back? We'll miss you.

[7:02] Captain Jack: That's how it works. Once you go, you cannot come back.

[7:07] Rosie: So, so you will just be forever napping on the pillow?

[7:13] Captain Jack: No, you misunderstand. My time has come to pass on.

[7:20] Rosie: Pass on? Like, no, thank you. No kibble for me. I am watching my diet. That kind of pass on?

[7:31] Captain Jack: No, I mean I'm going to die soon. I won't be here and I'll pass on over the Rainbow Bridge to the giant dog park in the sky.

[7:41] Rosie: What? What? You're dying? No, no, no, no, no. But we need you. Who will bark at kitten and the trees?

[7:54] Rosie: And who will curl up next to the dad person on the end of the bed?

[8:00] Rosie: And I curl up next to the mom person's feet and you sleep by dad. I can't do both.

[8:11] Tal Kelly: That was a very honest clip and probably hard to hear. Truth is, everything we love will either leave us or we will leave it.

[8:20] Tal Kelly: It's one of the simplest and most natural facts of life. As we grow and as the world changes, we encounter loss. It's the one constant we can rely on.

[8:33] Tal Kelly: With every wave of beginning and end, clouds of emotions pass through us. Among them, we will inevitably encounter grief.

[8:43] Tal Kelly: To me, grief is the hardest emotion to grapple with, especially when the ending has to do with someone we love.

[8:51] Tal Kelly: It can feel like a punch in the gut while your heart is being squeezed. It's an aching sadness that can make it hard to breathe, let alone sleep or move.

[9:03] Tal Kelly: We've talked throughout this season about how feelings show up in different intensities.

[9:09] Tal Kelly: Sadness may begin as a mild disappointment, but can deepen into grief when we're saying goodbye to something or someone that mattered deeply.

[9:22] Tal Kelly: But even when it comes to feelings as intense as grief, we don't need to fear them. Emotions flow through us.

[9:33] Tal Kelly: We can sit with them, watch them, and learn from them, even the painful ones.

[9:40] Tal Kelly: Sometimes these raw emotions can even fuel new creativity or wisdom.

[9:47] Tal Kelly: Having explored how we navigate grief, let's now open ourselves to wonder.

[9:53] Tal Kelly: Next, we meet a joyous kid named Nate.

[9:58] Tal Kelly: He created the show about science when he was five years old.

[10:03] Tal Kelly: An awesome adventure into the wondrous world of scientific research and discovery.

[10:09] Tal Kelly: Over the last ten years, Nate has filled each episode with fascinating conversations with scientists and educators from around the globe.

[10:18] Tal Kelly: Together, they explore everything from chemistry to climate change, evolution to extraterrestrials, and human brains to bat biology.

[10:29] Tal Kelly: It's a small show with big ambitions. Let's listen in.

[10:36] Nate: I'm here at the Waukegan National Airport to meet up with a pilot named Dragan.

[10:41] Dragan: This is your first time here, right?

[10:43] Nate: First time, yeah.

[10:44] Nate: One of the first things Dragan told me was that he can trace his love of planes back to one moment when he was a kid.

[10:52] Nate: One day, when he was about five years old, living in a small town in Serbia, a pilot flew over his house.

[10:59] Nate: Military pilot, fighter pilot.

[11:01] Nate: And everybody in the town was really excited to see this plane.

[11:05] Nate: That fighter pilot, when he flew, I saw happiness.

[11:09] Nate: Then, a sonic boom from the jet shattered all of the windows in his house.

[11:15] Nate: And he was in awe.

[11:17] Nate: Because that was like, wow, what is this?

[11:20] Nate: In fact, they shattered all of the windows in all of the homes in his town.

[11:24] Nate: And you would think that everybody in the town would have been upset, but…

[11:29] Dragan: No, no, no one…

[11:31] Nate: No, everybody was really excited to see this plane.

[11:34] Dragan: That moment when I see that happiness, I say, oh, okay, I would like to do the same thing.

[11:41] Nate: Everybody else in the town fixed their windows.

[11:44] Nate: But that window in Dragan's room at his parents' house, it's still broken.

[11:49] Dragan: In honor of that day, he decided to never fix it.

[11:53] Dragan: That moment is alive inside of me, and I think it will be always in my life.

[11:59] Nate: Dragan wants to give people the same feeling of awe that he had as a kid, so he volunteered as a STEMFlights pilot.

[12:06] Nate: STEMFlights is an organization that connects pilot mentors with kids to give them their first flying experience.

[12:11] Nate: I've always thought that flying a plane would be super cool, so I applied.

[12:19] Nate: And that's how the two of us came to be sitting on a runway together in his gray and red lightweight airplane, ready for takeoff.

[12:27] Dragan: Okay, ready?

[12:29] Nate: All right, let's take to the skies.

[12:32] Dragan: Yep.

[12:34] Nate: We started accelerating.

[12:36] Nate: And we were going faster.

[12:39] Nate: And then, just like that.

[12:43] Nate: Oh, wow.

[12:45] Dragan: All right.

[12:47] Nate: Yeah, that's good.

[12:49] Nate: All right, we're in the air.

[12:51] Dragan: Okay, how do you feel now?

[12:54] Nate: Feels pretty cool.

[12:56] Dragan: Uh-huh.

[12:58] Nate: And it was incredible.

[13:00] Nate: Once we're out of the airport, I will give you controls, and you can try to fly a little bit.

[13:05] Dragan: Okay, sounds good.

[13:07] Nate: The moment I was in the air, any nervousness I had just evaporated.

[13:16] Nate: And as I took the controls...

[13:19] Nate: Wow.

[13:20] Nate: Steering the plane.

[13:22] Nate: This is awesome.

[13:24] Dragan: Uh-huh.

[13:26] Nate: That feeling of awe.

[13:29] Nate: Yeah.

[13:31] Nate: I felt it.

[13:34] Nate: Holy moly, what a flight.

[13:37] Tal Kelly: Nate illustrates how sometimes change doesn't creep in quietly. It can start with a daring yes.

[13:45] Tal Kelly: I am so impressed by Nate, not just for flying that plane, but for making me feel like a part of it.

[13:50] Amy Daniels: Storytelling and podcasting skills. He does such a great job of bringing us along with him into the wonder of the moment. We experience the shift of emotions from anticipation to exhilaration to that feeling of awe. Nate's story also shows how inspiration can ripple outward. We are all affected by the people around us and that spark can be contagious. From Pilot Dragun's passion for flying to Nate's incredible adventure and maybe even a moment of motivation in one of you listening. One person's beginning can plant the seed for something new in our own. Beginnings come in all shapes and sizes and they're not always easy. Sometimes change asks for a leap like Nate's flying a plane for the first time and sometimes it starts with a single small step and in that space between what was and what's next amazing new ideas can quietly begin to bloom.

There's a room in my house that's been messy for over a year. It's filled with everyone's stuff. Half-finished art projects, instruments, stray papers. It's been called the music room, the art room, the office, but really it's the mess room. I want to clean it. I talk about cleaning it, but for some reason I always do something else instead. Somehow it's easier to write about it here than to actually tackle it. Starting something outside our usual routine almost always feels harder than it should, but here's a trick. Begin simply. Take one tiny step, grab a trash bag, decide on a time, tell someone your plan. Hey, by the way, I'll fill up one trash bag when I'm done recording this episode. Big change can start with small moves.

Beginnings and endings invite a whole heap of emotions, so welcome them in. If you're scared to start, it's okay to be afraid and brave. If you're embarrassed to try something new, know that simply trying is something to be proud of. Feelings are like smells. Some are sweet, others are stinky, but none of them are bad. They just are. They're all trying to tell us something. What matters most is how we choose to respond. Sometimes change isn't in our control, but often when the shift is called for, you are the one with the power to choose its beginning or end, and to bravely take the next step.

[16:38] Amy Daniels: As our final episode of Big Emotions Mashups draws to a close, we come to one last wave of reflection. Have you ever watched the ocean? One wave fizzles, another rises behind it. Each beginning is tucked somewhere inside an ending. The tide keeps turning, and that feels just right for our last clip, which comes from a podcast that stirs up an ocean of emotions for me. What If World is the podcast my son Ari listened to over and over as a kid. Mr. Eric, the creator, podcaster, and voice actor, was Ari's inspiration. He's the person who welcomed Ari into Kids Listen, who encouraged his curiosity, and who taught him, and so many other kids, some of life's most important values. What If World Stories for Kids is an unscripted storytelling podcast where each episode is inspired by a child's question. That question becomes the spark for a whole world of imagination. In this episode, the question comes from a listener named Lif. She asks, What if clocks were bananas and monkeys ate time?

[18:02] Mr. Eric: Well, Teddy, how'd you like your story?

[18:05] Amy Daniels: Mr. Eric was back in his old apartment again, talking to his nephew Teddy on a computer screen. Only, he didn't look like Teddy at all.

[18:14] Teddy: I think it was a wonderful story, maybe you should make a podcast, or something.

[18:20] Mr. Eric: Aw, Teddy, I wouldn't know the first thing about doing something like that. It's too big and scary, and I'm just too old to learn a whole new skill set.

[18:30] Teddy: Yeah, well, I think about half of your stories are about trying big challenges, even if they're scary.

[18:35] Mr. Eric: I know, Teddy. Wait, you're not Teddy. You're Jojo Fluffycat.

[18:39] Jojo Fluffycat: Wait, you're not Teddy. You're Jojo Fluffycat.

[18:42] Mr. Eric: Oh, no, I'm in the past. Reality banana.

[18:45] Jojo Fluffycat: Oh, Mr. Eric, you're talking crazy. It's the year Four Bites a Banana.

[18:50] Mr. Eric: Four Bites a Banana. And through the screen, behind JF Cat, Mr. Eric saw the time monkey knocking a banana with four bites left of it off the wall.

[19:02] Mr. Eric: Teddy, Jojo, whoever you are, go get that monkey.

[19:05] Jojo Fluffycat: I don't know. It's nice to be young again.

[19:07] Mr. Eric: I know, Jojo, but is it worth it? Let's find out.

[19:18] Amy Daniels: Mr. Eric found himself in a doctor's office with flickering mood lighting and tense, jazzy music playing in the background. He'd just gotten his cast taken off of his right hand and wrist, and he was trying to squeeze his hand into a fist.

[19:36] Doctor: Oh, I do say I've done a marvelous job putting your hand back together.

[19:42] Mr. Eric: Thank you, Dr. Lee, said Mr. Eric, already on the lookout for the time monkey.

[19:51] Doctor: Now, you may experience some stiffness and discomfort forever. Oh, and you can't do anything high impact like gymnastics or karate as two completely random examples.

[20:03] Mr. Eric: But I teach gymnastics and karate.

[20:06] Doctor: Ah, you taught them. Past tense, my boy. But on the bright side, you get to try something entirely new and frightening now.

[20:15] Mr. Eric: Dr. Lee, Abacus...

[20:17] Doctor: I prefer Professor Dr. Abacus Lee Grumbler Extraordinaire.

[20:22] Mr. Eric: Abacus, you're going to see a monkey soon, okay? And when you do, I want you to take out your wand and freeze it.

[20:28] Doctor: But Mr. Eric, wouldn't you like to feel normal again? No more discomfort, no more limitations.

[20:36] Amy Daniels: The purple time monkey popped up from under Abacus's wizard hat and held out a banana with exactly five bites left.

[20:47] Mr. Eric: Abacus, we all have limitations, and I'm a lot luckier than most. So please just help me catch that monkey.

[20:54] Doctor: Oh, very well. Come here, monkey.

[20:57] Amy Daniels: And Abacus reached up with one hand while pulling his wand out with the other. And...

[21:05] ♪ Musical number: "Magic Sounds" — performed by Unknown ♪

[21:10] Amy Daniels: Brilliant. What a heartwarming, hilarious, value-packed clip. We all have our limits, and sometimes an ending shows us those limits. But even in the middle of sadness or regret, there's space for laughter, for gratitude, and for storytelling. And Mr. Eric does what he always does so beautifully. He reminds us to pay attention to the little love-filled moments. Our accomplishments, our people, the good stuff. I love this as our ending, because as we've explored, endings and beginnings are part of the same cycle. They're connected, always leading into one another. At the start of this episode, I shared how I was pulled into podcasting by my son Ari. His passion was sparked by his favorite podcaster, Mr. Eric.

And now, as we close this series, we come full circle, learning how Mr. Eric began his own podcasting journey. Round and round we go, we change, we grow. Through every transition, we experience big emotions. Some exciting, some uncomfortable, some overwhelming. But just like feelings come and go, so do the chapters of our lives.

[22:25] Amy Daniels: Since this episode is a special gathering of emotions, our final activity is designed for you to really tune in to yours. So if you'd like to play, grab a bunch of index cards or small pieces of paper. Then, think of as many feeling words as you can. Big ones like angry, scared, or sad. And softer ones like content, curious, or lonely. Don't forget to include proud, guilty, or even jealous. Write one word on each card. And don't forget to make a card with a question mark for those feelings that don't quite have a name yet. You can also use the list of feeling words included in the PDF listed in the show notes. Once you have your cards, pause for a moment. And think about how you're feeling right now.

Then, sort the cards into three piles. Yes, I'm feeling this. Maybe a little. And no, not really feeling this one right now. When you're ready, look through the yes pile and choose a few cards to talk about or reflect on. Why do you think you're feeling that way? You don't have to fix it. Just notice it. Just name it. If it feels helpful, you can also explore the maybe a little pile. And remember, we almost never feel just one thing. Our emotions often arrive all at once, overlapping and shifting. What you're feeling right now might be different in a few hours or a few days. That's part of being human. Give it a try. You might be surprised by what you find.

[24:16] Amy Daniels: Spending the season exploring big emotions with you has taught me so much. I've learned that bravery isn't about never feeling fear. It's about moving forward even when we do. That jealousy and envy aren't bad, but clues to what we care about most. That anger is natural, but forgiveness can set us free. That belonging begins with embracing who we are. And that's where true freedom and independence grow. That pride and embarrassment both have something to teach us. And that with a little self-compassion, even awkward moments can become chances to grow. I've also learned that sadness and love are often intertwined. Because caring deeply means feeling deeply. But just like all emotions, they ebb and they flow. And we can learn to ride the waves. And perhaps most of all, I've learned that while we can't control the winds of change, we can always adjust the sails.

[25:45] Amy Daniels: Thanks so much for listening and becoming a part of this Kids Listen mashup. You can come back to this series whenever you want a refresher on what these feelings might mean. And remember, big emotions, they aren't something to fear. They're something to feel. This episode has been a Kids Listen collaboration created by me, Tal Kelly, Jenna Clark, and Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore. I'm also hosting this episode for you and have been the producer of this big emotions mashup series. I have loved every moment of working with executive writer Jenna Clark, content director at Sleepiest and Koala Kids, and in consultation with Eileen Kennedy-Moore, Ph.D., an author and clinical psychologist based in Princeton, New Jersey.

A special thanks goes to all of our contributors. We place links to all our featured podcasts in this episode's and every episode's show notes. Our intro music was created and generously provided by the wonderful Dan Sachs of The Noodle Loaf. And in addition to the music that Dan created for us, you can also find full music credits in the show notes of all the music I chose to play in the background for you. If you'd like to share your artwork, another powerful way to express emotions is through art. Email a photo to KidsListenMashups@gmail.com and we will proudly share it on social media. Educators interested in applying this as an SEL resource in their classroom can find a PDF guide in the show notes.

If you enjoyed this episode, we would very much appreciate a nice review or if you can share the show with someone you love. Thank you for tuning in to your emotions as well as our mashups. Take care now and keep listening for your next beginning.