Try "Pushing Pause" on Worries!

Some kids worry what their friend will do say or they worry about an upcoming test or they worry about getting a needle at the doctor's or they worry their teacher will be mad they didn't do their homework...

Firstly, it's normal to worry sometimes. And, for kids, they're experiencing "firsts" all the time. Feeling nervous, anxious, unsettled, afraid, uncomfortable, unsure...these emotions are part of the human experience. As children grow & develop their social-emotional skills, they learn to self-manage these heightened feelings.

As grown-ups, we can try to give them tips and strategies. We can help them with perspective-taking, reminding them the worry is not as big as they think. We can be a Friendship Coach, role-playing with them. Or, we can walk them through a 'Worst Case Scenario' to show them they can handle even the most challenging outcome. But sometimes, their anxious little bodies and minds can't absorb our well-intentioned lessons. They're not ready.

And, instead, they simply need a break from their big worried emotion…..and so do you!

This strategy gives you both permission to stop feeding the worry. 'Pushing pause' can sometimes break the vicious cycle that can happen when children/teens obsess and get hooked on a negative emotion. It allows you both a chance to reset, yet still lets them know you're there if they need to revisit the thoughts later. Take them for ice-cream, send them out to jump on the trampoline, turn on their fave music, go for a bike ride, get them to play with a friend... Use the time-out to infuse positive emotions and watch what happens!

Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

For more resources & activities on worries, our URSTRONG Families can type in "worries", "butterflies" or "ANTs" (automatic negative thoughts) in the keyword search in the Resources library.

Written by: Dana Kerford

Founder & Friendship Expert