Scared plus Mad equals Smad

Full Episode description

Have you ever felt scared? I sure have. It can be really hard to feel scared feelings, and it can be confusing, too. Like, I know I’m scared of falling into quicksand, and being turned into a bagel (again), and I’m definitely afraid of being chased by Australian crocodiles! But I can feel scared even when none of those things are actually happening.  

Sometimes I get scared just imagining scary things. I worry about things that might happen, and then I start thinking about how unfair it would be if they did happen, and then I get upset because those things shouldn’t happen but I don’t know how to keep them from happening, and then my face gets hot and my breathing gets fast, and then I feel really SMAD—scared and mad!

In today’s special episode, Vac and I are both feeling SMAD. But we talk through it together and that helps us feel a little better. Promising to be kind to each other and to all of our friends in the Neighborhood helps us feel a little better, too. 

If you’re feeling scared or SMAD or any other big feelings, I hope you’ll talk to a trusted grown-up about them. And I hope you know how much Vac and I—and everyone in the Neighborhood—cares about you and wants you to feel safe. We love you. So much.

• Scotty