When you are scared or anxious, you begin to think negative thoughts and fear the worst. This shows in your behaviour and the way you talk. Sometimes your worries and anxiety can take over your mind so that it is hard to stop worrying. You can manage worries by using Worry Time or a Worry Box.
Worry Time means dealing with the worries at a specific time and avoiding them at other times. You can agree with your child that you will deal with all worries during Worry Time. At a specific time you will spend for example half an hour discussing the worries together, and at other times you can tell the child that you will get back to his or her worries at the agreed time. Start by doing this every day, then less often when possible.
The Worry Box: Agree that whenever the child gets worried, he or she will write the worry down on a piece of paper. If the child cannot yet write, the parent can help. Choose a jar or box together that can be used as a Worry Box and where the child can put the pieces of paper. Agree that you will read and discuss the notes on a specific day and at a specific time.