"Worry Time" is one of the stickers included in Mighty + Bright's Daily Routine Chart. You can also hear founder Sara Olsher talk about Worry Time in Season 1, Episode 6 of the Raising Resilience Podcast.

 

Worrying is a common part of life, and kids are no exception. Whether it's school, friendships, or family changes, kids have a lot of things to worry about. As a parent or caregiver, it's important to help children learn how to manage their worries in a healthy way. One technique that can be helpful is "worry time" and "worry jars."

Worry time is a designated period of time each day when a child can think about and express their worries. This time can be set aside for a few minutes before bedtime or in the morning before starting the day. During worry time, the child can talk to a trusted adult about what's on their mind and discuss possible solutions or ways to cope with their worries. This helps the child feel heard and supported while also preventing worries from taking over their entire day.

Worry jars can also be helpful in managing children's worries. A worry jar is a container filled with slips of paper, each with a worry written on it. When a child has a worry, they can write it down on a slip of paper and put it in the jar. This helps the child feel like they have acknowledged their worry and let it go for the time being. They can come back to the jar during worry time and discuss the worries with a trusted adult, or they can choose to leave the worries in the jar and not worry about them anymore.

Using worry time and worry jars can help children learn how to manage their worries in a healthy way. Here are some tips for implementing these techniques:

1. Choose a consistent time for worry time each day, and stick to it. This helps the child feel like they have a designated time to express their worries and helps prevent worries from taking over their entire day.

2. Create a safe space for worry time. Find a quiet, comfortable place where the child can talk to a trusted adult without distractions.

3. Encourage the child to write down their worries and put them in the worry jar. This helps the child feel like they have acknowledged their worries and let them go for the time being.

4. Validate the child's feelings and help them brainstorm ways to cope with their worries. This helps the child feel heard and supported and helps them learn how to manage their worries in a healthy way.

If your kids struggle with anxiety, “worry time” might help. Developed by psychologists this idea is based on the premise that when we try not to think about something, we often end up thinking about it more.

By creating a safe space for children to express their worries and providing them with tools to cope with those worries, we can help them feel heard and supported while also promoting their emotional well-being.