What is a worry monster?
A Worry Monster is here to help your little one to acknowledge, express and let go of their anxieties – think of it as a cuddly update on the classic worry box tool. With a big zip up mouth and fluffy fur, Worry Monster is a supportive friend who will listen to, gobble up and hug away worries.
How can the worry Monster Help my Child?
If your child is feeling anxious, their Worry Monster is here to help them process and let go of these feelings. Identify a worry: describe thoughts and feelings verbally and offer words and phrases to give these worries names and explanations. Get it out: write down or draw what the worry feels like on a piece of paper.
How do you deal with a fear of monsters?
Identify a worry: describe thoughts and feelings verbally and offer words and phrases to give these worries names and explanations. Get it out: write down or draw what the worry feels like on a piece of paper. Take it away: fold up the paper and zip it inside the Monster’s mouth to be gobbled away.
What is shrinking the worry monster?
Shrinking the Worry Monster is an engaging ‘read to’ book for children about their worries and an easy to use self-help technique for parents to give children who suffer from anxieties. Pediatrician, school board member, and child and family advocate
How do you use worry monster in class?
A worry monster is deisgned to discuss and reduce worries. Children write or draw their worry onto a piece of paper and then feed it to their worry monster. Once the monster has eaten it, the worry can then be discussed and shared with an adult.
How does a worry box work?
Worry boxes are containers into which children can post their anxious thoughts. Children can find them soothing because they: give them a physical way of getting rid of their worries, so they don't need to carry them around anymore. make them feel safer by holding their anxious thoughts for them.
How do you get rid of worry monster?
Here are the 10 steps to do it:Step 1: Teach How Our Brain and Body Work When We Are Scared. ... Step 2: Identify Body Feelings. ... Step 3: Externalize the Problem. ... Step 4: Make a Worry List. ... Step 5: Make a Success Ladder. ... Step 6: Identify Worrisome and Fearful Thinking. ... Step 7: Change and Modify Thinking.More items...•
What is a worry monster for kids?
Label your worries and fears as the "Worry Monster" who is a bully who is responsible for making you (and all of us) think worrisome and scary thoughts. The Worry Monster's job is to keep us from enjoying life. He gets joy from picking on children (and adults) and making them worried and scared.
What do you put in a self soothe box?
You could include:Photos of people, pets, or happy memories.Writing about happy memories or occasions.A letter to yourself that you've written when you're in a calmer, happier place.Notes or messages from people you care about.Positive quotes, affirmations, or song lyrics that are meaningful for you.More items...•
How do you put thoughts in a box?
When you find your thoughts heading in a negative direction, write down the thought/worries/anxieties and put them into your box. Then close the box. Next time another unhelpful thought, worry or anxiety comes up, do the same-in fact, just keep filling the box with as many thoughts as you wish. It's your box!
What is a worry bully?
The worry bully is… everyone has it, it's this thing inside your head that keeps on telling you worries and worries and worries. And the more you listen to it, the stronger it gets. She told me that the worry bully isn't a friend or an enemy, it's just somebody who's there and you can't get rid of him or her.
How do you explain worry to a child?
Consider opening up and explaining a time when you had anxiety – digging deep into what the situation was, what your anxiety felt like, and how you were able to overcome those anxious feelings. Similarly, you can encourage your child to do the same.
How do you use a worry jar?
The idea behind the Worry Jar is simple:Write your worries down on little slips of paper and put them into a jar or container.Come back whenever you think about it (not 10 minutes later; I'm talking more like a month or something) and look through your worries again. ... So then you can rip them up and throw them away!More items...•
How do you explain worry to a child?
Anxiety can be a thought (mental) or feeling (physical) that can feel very scary. Anxiety is actually not dangerous and can sometimes be helpful in certain situations. Everybody experiences anxious feelings sometimes, it is a normal.
How do you make a worry list?
How Creating A Worry List Can Clear Your MindMake your list. Set aside some time and write everything you're unsure, anxious or worried about. ... Accept what you can control. ... Most of the worries we have in life, never actually happen. ... Take action to find solutions.
How can kids get rid of worries?
Here's how:Spend time with them. Do this every day, even if it's just a few minutes. ... Ask what's on their minds. Help kids label what they think and feel. ... Listen with patience. ... Validate. ... Help kids think of how to handle things. ... Help them practice. ... Encourage. ... Help them expect good things.More items...
What is a worry monster book?
Worry Monster Book. Tell the Monster A Story. Worry monsters are so simple to make, and have such a wide range of benefits. Of course there is no way to completely eliminate worry, but there has been research into the impact of strategies used in early life. ( Source)
What to feed a worry monster?
Feed It Different Things. What you actually feed the worry monster can add an extra element of interest and engagement for the children. Some pieces of dried food can be a good one, as the children associate them with eating. Something like dried pasta, for example.
Why is storytelling important?
Storytelling unlocks lots of our emotions, and it can be a powerful tool to use alongside the use of the worry monster.
Is it good to return to the monster?
There is lots of benefits in returning to the monster for different purposes. If you have recorded your worries, either as pictures or in writing, then it is definitely beneficial to return to that either the next day or a few days later. This really helps children to process worry over a longer time frame.
Can we record our worries?
Of course, as well as talking about our worries, we can also record them in other ways.
Can children talk to monsters?
The children can talk to the monster, or tell it all sorts of stories.
Do you need to go all out to make a monster?
Of course, you don’t really need to go all out and create a spectacularly artistic monster.
Shrinking the Worry Monster
Worry Monster has been whispering mean things to kids and making them feel terrible. Now it is up to Brooklyn and Jackson to discover the monster’s secret—and stop him!
FREE Tools for Helping Kids Deal with Worry..
Sign up to get my FREE tools: 9 Examples of How to Talk Back to the Worry Monster and Exercises to Shrink the Worry Monster.
About Sally Baird
Dr. Sally has been a public health nurse, a school psychologist, and finally a clinical psychologist in private practice where she specialized in children’s issues. Over the years, she noticed that more and more children were coming to her for anxiety.
About Kathryn O. Galbraith
Kathryn O. Galbraith is an award-winning author of 22 children’s books. She loves working in many different genres with many different characters, but this is her first book about a Worry Monster!
Reviews
Shrinking the Worry Monster is for any parent who wants their child to worry less and for every child who is being bullied by the Worry Monster.
What is a worry monster?
with a Worry Monster. Anxiety is a bully. It bosses your child around, tells them they are not good enough, and causes high amounts of fear. Suddenly, your anxious child begins to see anxiety as a part of them, bringing down their self-confidence and opinion of themselves. The best way to help your child battle anxiety is to name the worry monster, ...
How to illustrate worry monster in head?
Use examples of kids who may be mean or bossy at school to illustrate the idea of the worry monster in their head. Just as you would walk away from the bully at school, and not listen to them, you do not have to listen to the one in your head.
Why is it important to explain to your child that they are being created by a worry monster or bully?
It is important that you explain to your child that the anxious thoughts and feelings are being created by a worry monster or bully. This worry monster or worry bully is trying to scare you but you do not have to listen to it. This idea separates the anxiety from the identity of the child.
What to say to a child about Bossy Pants?
Be brave and don’t listen to mean old Bossy Pants.”. A child may say, “Bossy Pants is scaring me about school right now.
What is a Worry Box?
A “Worry Box” is a place to store away those feelings that may overwhelm your child.
How to make a pencil with pipe cleaners?
Take your pipe cleaners and wrap them around your pencil to make them curly. Place a dab of glue on the top of the box. Place one of the curled pipe cleaners on top. Continue to make a cluster of curled pipe cleaner “hair” on top of the box. Bring out the eyeballs and pupils. Glue the pupils to the eyeballs.
How to make a monster out of a popsicle stick?
Place a line of glue on the bottom part of the popsicle stick and glue it to the back of the box. Cut out a square piece of the purple foam paper and glue it to the green popsicle stick. Cut out your paper that says “Feed Me Your Worries!!” and glue it to the purple foam paper. Your monster is now complete!
What to do when your child is worried?
When worry thoughts, frustration or overwhelming feelings strike, your child (or you, if your child needs help) can write them down on a piece of paper and store them away in their worry box (or whatever container you chose).
How many ways can you approach the worry box concept?
There are two different ways you can approach the worry box concept:
How to make a pencil pupil?
With your pencil, trace the bottom of the paint tube to make two big pupils. Cut out the eyeballs and cut out the pupils. Set aside.
How to make a white eyeball?
Put a piece of white cardstock on the table. With your pencil, trace the bottom of a cup to make two big eyeballs. Set aside. Take your black cardstock and put your tube of paint on it (or any object with a round base that is smaller than the one you use for the white cardstock).
Why is shrinking the worry monster important?
Learning to shrink the Worry Monster has never been so important. Because of the coronavirus, our collective anxiety is very high. By using these research-based tools to help your child (and yourself) manage the worries, you and your child can reduce your concerns and even have fun together practicing them. Now is absolutely the best time to start Shrinking the Worry Monster!
Is Shrinking the Worry Monster a children's book?
As a child psychologist and co-author of the new children’s book Shrinking the Worry Monster, I know that children are more an xious now than ever before. Our successful children’s book is the story of Worry Monster who tells children lies so they will worry, but he is finally is stopped by two brave kids who discover his secret.
Why does Mary use the Worry Eater doll?
Mary uses the Worry Eater doll to find out how her son feels and to encourage him to talk. She hopes that as he learns to write, he’ll ‘pen messages for the toy to eat’.
Where was the Sorgenfresser Worry Eater created?
The idea behind the Sorgenfresser Worry Eater, created in Germany, is that children write down or draw a picture of what’s upsetting them and put it into the toy’s mouth, which is then zipped shut — banishing their worries. +9. Copy link to paste in your message.
Why is reading in a quiet room important?
The peaceful bedtime ritual of reading in a quiet room at a set time each night — essential to mental and physical well-being — simply does not happen in many homes. Lack of sleep generates stress, and stress generates lack of sleep, and within that whirling circle the child becomes dizzy with anxiety.
Does the zip mouthed monster talk?
The zip-mouthed monster doesn’t talk, move or do any tricks. But it does hold a simple promise: to take away a child’s anxieties. And soaring sales suggest this is a promise that particularly chimes with today’s children.
Does the Worry Eater help Freddie?
Facing the problem: Mary hopes using the Worry Eater will help Freddie. Perhaps the most significant factor Palmer cites in stoking childhood anxiety is not enough sleep. A third of parents no longer read aloud to their children.
