The Huge Bag of Worries

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Have available the song'Don’t worry, be happy!' by Bobby McFerrin and the means to play it at the end of the assembly. Having difficult conversations is hard, but if you handle it well it can bring you and your child closer together and help you to understand each other. Jesus responded in two ways. First, he made Martha aware of her worry by saying, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.’ There was real concern in his voice as he repeated her name. He helped her to see that she had a problem to be dealt with. Jesus didn't judge Martha - there's nothing wrong with being a good hostess or wanting things to be the very best - he just drew her attention to her worry.

think about the sorts of questions your child's likely to ask you, so you can have the answers ready. This Worry Monster Craft Activity is a lovely addition to the Twinkl Original story, 'The Making of Milton'. Practical handbook on communicating with children and young people, illustrated with case studies throughout. Shows how to build relationships by communicating effectively with children and other adults using the ideas of social pedagogy. Covers verbal and non-verbal communication, empathy, working with conflict and in groups. Aimed at any practitioner working with children, young people and their families regardless of the setting. Children are often worried about things but they may struggle to open up about how they're feeling. Anxiety and excitement are almost the same feelings. If you are nervous about giving a big speech or performance, pretend that it's excitement. Studies have shown that the simple relabelling of anxiety to excitement is often enough to change the body's response to excitement! So, in this case, having a positive attitude seems to be the way to go!It's OK to ask your child what they'd like you to do about the situation but it could be something where you can't do anything at all; for example, if they're grieving over a death. What you can always do is reassure and support – starting with a big hug. If you're talking to just one child about something, consider how private the time and place are. It's might work best to have it at a time when brothers and sisters aren't around to interrupt. Being able to write their worries down and leave them there is a skill that will really help children as they develop and generally helps worries to not bubble up into a huge problem. It's probably taken a lot of courage to even mention it to you so you need to make them feel as comfortable as possible about continuing the conversation:

By understanding a child's worries, you can then do more to help them manage their worries and concerns. Offer Solutions - Teach your child how to deal with challenging situations and come up with a solution together. Having a worry monster display focuses on the idea that the worry monster will munch up their troubles! It helps them put their worries into a box and move on with the rest of the day without their worries weighing on their mind.Why not try this lovely Jar of Worries Activity too? Why is it important for children to talk about their worries? Advice for parents on managing anger and frustrations, coping with specific problem behaviours such as bed-wetting, how to play, using praise and rewards to promote good behaviour, and communicating with children.

Unfortunately things do happen that can turn young lives upside down. Talking with your child about separation, illness, death or other life-changing topics might be emotional and distressing for both of you.

Knowing your child has worries can be disheartening but you can help them deal with their worries by: It's never easy to start a serious conversation with a child. It can help to try to prompt them with a TV show or story book to introduce the topic. The connected father: understanding your unique role and responsibility during your child's adolescenceAn illustrated book which encourages children to share their anxieties and fears. Tells the story of a little girl who carries around an increasingly huge bag filled with worries. She doesn't feel she can tell anyone but once she opens up the bag and shares the worries with someone else, the worries no longer seem so big.