Along with the topic of Growth Mindset versus Fixed Mindset, we are also focusing on Worry and Stress this month. Now more than ever we all may be feeling some kind of worry or stress, between always thinking about our health and wellness, not getting sick, and missing out on spending time with family, friends, and fun.
To help with expressing your emotions and feelings, a Worry Jar may be the perfect addition to your home. A Worry Jar is a place for you and your family to put your worries, so you don’t have to think about them all the time.
To create your own Worry Jar, find a jar or a container and decorate it however you and your family would like. Help your child verbalize their feelings and write their worries on a piece of paper. Encourage them to draw a picture of these feelings. Fold up your worry and put it in the jar and close it up.
“Take the worries out of your head, and put them in the jar instead”
Choose a time out of your day for you and your family for “Worry Time”. This could be in the morning before you start your day or at the end of your day. Children can open the Worry Jar, look inside and worry as much as they want. Together, read all the worries or just focus on one or two. Have a timer to show that Worry Time is over and close the jar to put their worries away.
At some point, your child may tell you that they’ve stopped worrying about something they put in the jar and they can tear up that worry and throw it away. Enjoy these times together!
Check back next week as we discuss more on the topics of Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset, Stress, and Worry during our last week of March!
