Two identical plants, grown in conditions that are otherwise equal, will wither or flourish depending on how much they are watered. Worries can be much the same. If your child tends to dwell on thoughts like “What if we get lost?”, or “I won’t know the right answer when the teacher asks and I’ll be embarrassed”, then you can help them learn not to ‘water’ these worries.
Coach your kids to understand that we need to manage our thoughts, just like a gardener carefully picks out the weeds so that the plants he wants to grow will be able to thrive. Give intrusive and worrying thoughts the ‘weed’ test by asking “Is that really true?”, and “Does it make me feel better or worse to think it over and over?” and “How would you be feeling without that thought?” can connect them to a much calmer and peaceful way to be. (and these questions work for us adults too!).
For more on this check out “the Work” by Bryon Katie: www.thework.com
Based on: Hot Tip from The Parenting Place