Worry Dolls, Power Houses and Om for Children’s Anxiety

Guatemalan Worry Dolls

A few weeks ago I mentioned that my 8-year-old daughter was having a lot of anxiety. Naturally I had to look to myself for my own anxiety that was churning around that I was unaware of. One thing I always says it that if your child has anxiety, look to the parent! But regardless, there is still tons of stuff for kids to worry about out there!

My mind is naturally vata imbalanced (I’m tri-dosha and vata is always the culprit!) So I work hard with an ayurvedic physician to pacify this issue. No caffeine or alcohol, warm-cooked foods, a self-massage with oils every night, and lots of herbal supplements help that incessant chit-chat, chit-chat, CHIT-CHAT that many times won’t turn off. That’s why yoga and physical exercise are so beneficial to shut that mind down! Especially for bi-polar and ADHD people who are mind chattery people. 

My daughter expressed some angst over everything from kids staring at her in school because she is below grade level in reading and writing (she’s being tested for dyslexia next week, since we have done a lot of tutoring and work with her) or fourth graders shoot spit wads at her, or her brother has been mean to her. Her little mind just won’t shut down those worries and millions of kids have those issues too. 

I picked up these Guatemalan worry dolls a while back. The cute little folk art has a lot of ability to help kids with worry! I had given them to her a while back, and that night she lost them (and later found them.) But that night she had seen them so in bed I had her imagine one of the little dolls between her fingers. I had her imagine it’s face, the color of clothing. Then I had her think of one worry and rub the worry between her fingers as if the doll were there. “Worry, worry, worry,” I told her, to put all the worry she had into that doll. Then we had the solution at hand. “We will talk to the teacher about the kids staring and bothering you.” Then we put the doll under the pillow. “No longer to worry about that!” Then we moved onto the next worry, held the doll, presented the solution, and put it under the pillow. “Worry gone!” She said it helped.

I also taught her to clear her mind’s chit chat with her breath and to chant OM. Always rely on OM. When my thinking borders on obsessive (evil divorce stuff and financials creep in, I’m all too human) I resort to mantra. I have been chanting the Maha Mritunjaya mantra for nearly a year and it is my saving grace. It gets me back identifying with the transcendent rather than the form before me in duality.

I also tell my daughter to cut the thinking, the worry is just a thought. Change that thought and think about something that feels good. Focus on your body, your breath, your fingers, etc. It’s the feeling we want to change. I also teach her to defend herself and others from bullies. One boy boasts that he is so smart and that she’s behind, my daughter complains. I suggest to send love to the person and simply reply, “You may be smart, but I wish you had a heart. Stop teasing me, please.” And of course there’s the normal course of action to tell the teacher and get help. I also teach her to imagine a big ball of light surrounding her and protecting her, not allowing any mean things to penetrate that light and bother her.

A powerful exercise I learned from the school psychologist is the Power House. Outline both of a child’s hands with a pencil on paper. A child picks a different color to color each finger tip. Then next to each color the child lists his or her strong qualities – plays piano well, is kind to animals and others, works had at school work, is good at art, etc.

After the child becomes aware of his or her powerful qualities, the child makes a house by putting his or her finger tips together. These strong qualities that will help him or her in life make up this house. Then the child thinks of the worries and blows the worries through the house. The child blows the worries away, and the house still stands strong with the child’s quality against the worries. 

I think this is a great exercise for children and adults! As we too often forget the powerful qualities spirit has given us to deal with any situation that can arise. 

I also believe in body work for children with anxiety, ADHD/ADD. (Incidentally there is a high co-morbidity rate of ADHD and anxiety in children.) Either professionally or given by you lovingly, with lots of lavender and foot rubs! I also sing to my daugher. All those nursery songs still comfort my daughter, as does the sound of my voice.

When my children’s classes start in a few weeks, we will be emphasizing relaxation. In my “Story Siestas” kids just listen to stories at the beginning of class. It’s quite powerful. They identify with those heroes and learn how to deal with life’s difficulties. The images  and story work unconsciously and stay with children for a long time, anchoring them in their bodies and themselves for a worry-free life.

Tell stories and practice yoga with children!

Love and Peace,

Sydney Solis