What Do I Do With Worry? A Devotional for ParentsSample

DAY 2: Naming Your Worries

If there’s one emotion running rampant more than any other in today’s children, it’s worry. But that doesn’t mean your child is going to have an anxiety disorder. Worry is normal, so as parents we never need to dismiss, ignore, or punish our child’s emotions. Doing so might silence the worry now but make it louder over time. 

That’s why helping our children put language to their worries is such a powerful exercise, not only to calm them in the moment but also to establish healthy long-term emotional health in our kids. 

The worry our kids feel often presents itself as a “what-if.” In our children’s book, What Do I Do with Worry?, little Willow is worried about her “what-ifs.” Moving to a new town, her worries range from, “What if the store doesn’t have my favorite rainbow sprinkle cookies?” to “What if I can’t make new friends?” Willow’s grandma is able to help her name her “what-if’s” and learn what to do with her worry. 

You can teach your kids to do the same. Encourage them to reach out to a parent, grandparent, or God to talk about their worries and name their “what-ifs.” Then, help them assess their worries and take steps to release them to God. He is ready and waiting to gather any fears and worries we hand over to Him.