Worry Cloud

"For

stars- Mia, Grace and Olivia"

Illustrated by Morgan Huff

Written by Christine Carlucci Evans

FOREWORD:

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Teachers,

Before reading, I'd like to introduce you to the 'Worry Cloud' technique. This technique is designed to help children learn to let go of scary, sad, concerned or troubling feelings, leaving room for peace and tranquility in their minds. Anxiety in children can often present itself as fears and worries. Giving those fears and worries somewhere to go can ease the weight of those heavy thoughts. It also allows children to visualize their worries leaving their bodies.

You'll enjoy the connection you get when the child shares the worry with you, so you know how to listen and comfort them when presented with their trusted worry. Blowing their 'Worry Cloud' away is a very important step as breathing deeply in through their nose and slowly out through their mouth helps them to calm down as they release those feelings.

Here are the steps for how to carry out the 'Worry Cloud' technique with your young reader:

1. Pretend to hold the 'Worry Cloud' in your hands slightly above the child's head.

2. Ask the child to share their worry out loud (note: if the child doesn't want to share they can think of it in their heads, but must complete step #3).

3. Have them pretend to pluck the worry from their head and place it in the cloud. (Notice the different ways they pull the worry from their head.)

4. Ask the child to take a long deep breath in through their nose and a slow breath out through their mouth.

5. As the child breaths slowly out through their mouth, you move the cloud away from their head towards the opposite side of the room. You can have fun with it and carry it far away or even just a small arm movement gives the effect of it leaving their mind. REMEMBER the cloud cannot move if the deep slow breathing doesn't happen. It may take a few tries to get the right breath to move the cloud.

6. Ask if they have any more worries they want to put in the cloud and then repeat the steps above with each worry.

7. Enjoy the hugs and snuggles that will come after!

Worries, worries, can feel so loud.

Let' s try to put them in t h is cloud.

Don ' t stop your worries, no no no. Just give t h em somewhere safe to go.

Please pluck your worry from your mind, and peaceful thoughts you soon will find.

Please say your worry clear and loud, t h en place it in th e Worry Cloud .

Breathe in deeply, breathe outs low ,

nowtheyhave somewhere to go.

Worries, worries, let them fly,

Send them soaringthrough the sky.

Worries are normal , yes that's true. But please don 't let them stick with you.

Please pull your worry from your head, before you rest at night for bed.

Please say your worry clear and loud, then place it in the Worry Cloud.

Breathe in deeply,

Breathe in deeply,

Worries worries let themgo.

Watch your worry drift away,

leaving space for dreams to play.

You are safe, you are loved and you matter.

Worry Cloud Song

Worries, worries, can feel so loud. Let's try to put them in this cloud. Don't stop your worries no no no. Just give them somewhere safe to go. Please pluck your worry from your mind, and peaceful thoughts you soon will find. Please say your worry clear and loud, then place it in the Worry Cloud. Breathe in deeply, breathe out slow, now they have somewhere to go. Worries, worries, let them fly, Send them soaring through the sky. Worries are normal, yes that's true. But please don't let them

stick with you. Please pull your worry from your head, be- fore you rest at night for bed.

Please say your worry clear and loud, then place it in the Worry Cloud. Breathe in deeply,

breathe out slow. and watch your worries go go go. Worries worries let them go. Breathe in deeply, breathe out slow. Watch your worry drift away, leaving space for dreams to play.

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