Tip 7. Confine worry and confirm hope

Worry dolls

This terrific weekly ritual allows parents to find out what may be of concern for their children, and at the same time allows children to let go of their worries or fears.

The indigenous people in Guatemala make tiny dolls - as big as your fingernail - which live in a little wooden patterned box. They - and you - can have as many dolls as they like. Before they go to bed each night, they tell each doll one of their worries, then they pop it in the box. When all the worry dolls are in the box they put the lid on and go to sleep. During the night the dolls take care of their problems, so that next day when they wake up they can be happy and relaxed, knowing that their problems are being dealt with.

You can buy Guatemalan dolls in many retail stores, or you could make your own - maybe with your child. What a good reason to do something together!

(You may well enjoy telling the dolls your worries too, so you can get a good night's sleep!)


AFFIRMATIONS FOR CHILDREN

Affirmations are an especially powerful version of positive self-talk. Affirmations or positive thoughts are strongly recommended in self-motivational and psychological literature. Indeed, people in sales and management have been using affirmations to create positive events in their lives for many years.

You can teach your child to develop her own affirmations.

Here are some suggestions.


Next rainy afternoon, spend some time with your child making affirmation
cards.

• Cut out rectangles of paper and write out, beautifully and colourfully, some positive thoughts.

• Affirmations are always written in the positive and as if they are already occurring.

• Here are some examples of positive affirmations for scared children:

I can sleep comfortably and happily all night.

It's easy to sleep easy.

My room is safe.

My world is safe.

I am always protected.

I am powerful and capable.

I have a magic mind.