Our oldest son is a world-class worrier. In his eight years on this planet, he’s conquered so many worries! Each time we experience a swell of anxiety, we snap into action mode. We make sure he’s eating well, sleeping well, getting enough exercise, and spending heaps of time outdoors in nature.

Once we are sure all of those things are happening, we reach into our Worry Toolbox.

Worry Happens

Yes, some of us worry more than others but everyone worries. Worry and anxiety serve an important purpose: protection. If you are mothering a worrier, it is important to tell your child that they are not alone. Everyone worries!

And while you can’t magically whisk away your child’s worry, you can work together to manage worries when they spike. One way to manage worry is by referring to your Worry Toolbox.

What is a Worry Toolbox?

Stress and worry are a part of life so it’s best to learn to manage it early. Coping skills are among the most important of life skills! The thing is, coping strategies are unique to each person. In our family, we refer to these worry-related coping strategies as our Worry Toolbox.

A Worry Toolbox might include strategies such as:

deep breathing
progressive muscle relaxation
guided relaxation and imagery
mindfulness
yoga
distraction
humor
writing
drawing

As a parent, you can help your child fill her Worry Toolbox. Test out various coping strategies during each worry swell. Learn what works best for your child and talk about it with your child. By navigating the waves of worry with your child, you will be teaching valuable life skills.

You might put helpful resources in one spot for your child to refer to when needed. Our son has a Worry Basket beside his bed to use when nighttime worries occur.

When Worry Makes You Freeze

Sometimes, when we are feeling overwhelmed, we can forget about our toolbox. Worry can make us freeze like a deer in headlights. This is especially true for children who are new to the worry battle. Their coping strategies are not yet automatic and they benefit from help managing these strong emotions. As a parent, you can help your child by reminding him about his Worry Toolbox.

In our home, I have found it to be helpful to actually write the strategies on paper and keep them in a visible location. With time, many of these strategies become automatic but until then it helps to practice, practice, practice!

Do You Know What is in Your Worry Toolbox?

Today, I am sharing a helpful My Worry Toolbox printable to use with the worrier in your life. Simply download, print, laminate, and fill it out together using a dry-erase maker. Then, display your Worry Toolbox in a visible location. A bedroom or bathroom mirror are perfect locations.

Are You Mothering a Worrier?

If you are parenting a little kid with BIG worries, be sure to head on over to The Homeschool Sisters where I’m talking about what it is like to mother a worrier. In the article, I’m sharing another helpful strategy that has worked wonders in our home.

And stay tuned because Kara and I will be discussing worries in an upcoming episode of The Homeschool Sisters Podcast!

Worry-Related Resources

Here are some other helpful posts for those in the throes:

Mothering a Worrier {The Homeschool Sisters Podcast}

Little Kids with BIG Worries {Simple Homeschool}

Riding the Waves of Anxiety {Year Round Homeschooling}

When News is Nightmarish: Parenting Sensitive Souls {GeekMom}

Now, head on over to The Homeschool Sisters and see what we’ve been working on for you!

**Now, it’s your turn. Tell me: Are you mothering a worrier? What is in your Worry Toolbox? Share here!**

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