All kids worry. Sometimes though, the worries of kids in care are stockpiled on top of regular kid worries and the pile becomes overwhelming. The worry thoughts crowd their heads and can seem to squeeze out all the good things, the good times, the calm. Try this little trick to tame the worry monster and cut him down to a more manageable size.
1. Get two different color sticky notes. One color to stand for worries, one to stand for solutions.
2. With your child pick a spot on their bedroom wall. This will become their worry wall.
3. When your child mentions a worry [or you see one] write it on a worry sticky note and put it on their "Worry Wall."
4. Talk to the child about the problem. When you come up with a plan for dealing with the worry [or even a solution] write it on a solution sticky note and place that sticky note next to and partially over the worry note.
Checking in on the Worry Wall can become part of bedtime tucking in, to kind of review the solutions and strategies so that the child can go to sleep focused on solutions not worries. Using a Worry Wall also builds a habit of sharing concerns and working together to find solutions.... a habit that will pay off BIG time when your child is a teenager!
Remember...
the bottom line we ALL
need to learn is....
Image crdits:
emotionalmachines.org,
looktothenorth.wordpress.com,
sodahead.com
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