Worry Dragon Makes a Friend

Worry Dragon Makes a Friend — page 1
Advice for parents Being in new situations and trying to make new friends are common triggers for children to start worrying more When young children worry a lot every day can feel like something to be endured rather than enjoyed for them and for you Knowing your child is finding it hard to make friends can leave you feeling unsure how best to comfort them We are born programmed to worry Worrying helps us to stay safe by preparing us mentally for things that might go wrong and allowing us to come up with strategies to protect ourselves For some of us that worrying process gets a little stuck and healthy planning for the future can become a habit of stress and anxiety There are a number of signs that may indicate your child is entering this stressful thought pattern You might notice them avoiding particular people or places seeming anxious and asking lots of What if questions as they explore negative possibilities These are good cues to talk to your child and see if together you can identify any worries The story in Worry Dragon Makes a Friend presents worry as a character that is trying to help but who can get things wrong It shows how worries grow if you ignore them and how they can change from helpful to controlling if we let them get too big The story also gives your child a strategy to deal with their worries by examining them and talking them through