emotional exploration

i'm taking a counselling course in school. it's done in five days, (yay!) but for the past two months i've had a flurry of newly learned counselling skillz circling my brain. (i'd rather have nunchuck skillz, thankyouverymuch)

i've been trying to use these skills whenever i can, since practice makes perfect and all that. it's been frustrating, though, since the two people i spend the most time with aren't really into exploring their feelings.

me: little boy, how do you feel about that?
the boy: how do i feel about it, mama?
me: you tell me.
the boy: no, you tell me. how do i feel?
me: you feel... ticklish! (big ticklefight ensues)
me: no, seriously, how does this make you feel?
the boy: how does it make me feel?
(many repetitions and explanations later)
the boy: it makes me feel.... good. mama, what makes me feel good?
me: .... (having forgotten what we were originally talking about)

i don't even try with the baby.
so, you see, honing my counselling skillz at home is a little difficult. do you want to know how this makes me feel?