The Thundercloud in Baby Ais's Chest

Baby Ais was building a camel puzzle. Twenty pieces! Just one left — the hump.

Then along came Baby Mo with his toy plane. "Vrooom! Vrooom!"

Baby Mo's foot bumped the table. Puzzle pieces flew everywhere. The almost-finished camel… was gone.

Baby Ais went still. Then something strange happened in her chest. Hot. Heavy. Rumbling. As if a thundercloud were growing in there, bigger and darker.

Her hands made fists. She stood up, grabbed a piece, and lifted it high, ready to throw it at Baby Mo.

"Ais," Abi called from the door. Softly. Not angry.

Baby Ais stopped, her hand still in the air.

"How big is the cloud?" Abi asked.

Baby Ais stretched her arms as wide as they would go. "THIS BIG!"

Abi nodded. "That's a very big cloud. Want me to show you how the Prophet taught us to shrink a cloud like that?"

Baby Ais nodded a little. Just a little.

"One: if you're angry while standing, sit down," said Abi. Baby Ais sat on the floor. The cloud was still big, but now it couldn't go anywhere.

"Two: take a breath, slowly, until your tummy puffs up like a balloon." Baby Ais breathed in. Whoooo.

"Three: ask Allah for help. A'uudzu billaahi minasy-syaithaanir-rajiim."

Baby Ais repeated it, slowly. A'uudzu billaahi minasy-syaithaanir-rajiim.

The cloud… shrank. From as big as the room to as big as a pillow.

Sit. Breathe. A'uudzu billah.

From as big as a pillow to as big as an apple.

Sit. Breathe. A'uudzu billah.

Now there was only a little drizzle left in her eyes. Baby Ais wiped it away.

Then she turned to Baby Mo, who had been standing stiffly the whole time, hugging his plane. Her voice still wobbled, but it was clear: "Mo. I'm angry. My puzzle got messed up."

Baby Mo looked down. "Sorry, Ais. I didn't see." Then he crouched and began picking up the pieces one by one. "Can I help you build it again?"

They built it together. Faster this time, because there were four hands. The last piece — the camel's hump — Baby Mo handed to Baby Ais. "You put it in."

Click. The camel was whole.

That afternoon, the cat knocked over Baby Mo's block tower. His face went red and his hands began to curl into fists.

Baby Ais hurried over and sat down beside him. "Mo," she whispered, "how big is the cloud?"

A'uudzu billaahi minasy-syaithaanir-rajiim. — "I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed devil." The Prophet ﷺ taught it for someone who is angry. (Bukhari 3282, Muslim 2610)

Talk it over with your little one: when you get angry, how big is your cloud? Let's practise together now — sit, breathe, A'uudzu billah. ⛈️