Some kids worry more than others and it’s horrible to watch little ones who shouldn’t have a care in the world, stewing away over worries. But you can help them take back control and BECKY OVEREEM has some tips to show us how.
When Becky Overeem’s nephew couldn’t sleep because of his big worries, she decided it was time for a new approach.
After the usual positive reassurances hadn’t worked, Becky encouraged her six-year-old nephew and his dad to tackle the worries head-on—with a ‘worry diary’.
Drawing on her background as a teacher, school chaplain, and her own mental health journey, Becky helped them create a daily routine. Each day, her nephew would jot his worries into a journal – not at bedtime, but earlier in the evening. He’d then hand it to his dad, who placed it in a designated spot for the night, giving those worries a safe place to rest.
Later, they worked through the diary together. Some problems were quick fixes – like getting an alarm clock to ease the stress of missing the school bus. For the bigger ones, they asked for help, sometimes from school.
The method worked so well, it inspired Becky’s first children’s book, Is My Worry Worth Worrying About?, illustrated by Sarah Trolle.
The book helps kids understand their anxiety and find calm. It validates what worry feels like for children, offers tools to manage it, and includes a special section of tips for families to use together.
And it’s not just for kids.
“Anybody can take the kids at any level through this. My 21-year-old daughter messaged me the other day to say ‘Mum, I wrote (my worries) all down and sorted them out. So you see my 21-year-old is doing the same thing. I’m sure this would be useful for plenty of parents themselves as well,” Becky says.
Based in Whāngarei, Becky has always had a passion for mental health. She now creates teaching and wellbeing resources, and has a second book already underway -this one focusing on how kids can stop the ‘thought train’ before it runs away with them.
Becky’s tips for helping kids with worry:
Write the worries down
Give your child a designated worry journal or notebook and have them write their worries down.
Sort the worries
Group them into small, medium, and large categories to give each one the right amount of attention.
Keep worry out of the bedroom
Don’t mix journaling with the bedtime routine. Instead, write worries earlier in the evening and hand the journal to a trusted adult to store overnight.
“So there’s a physical act of handing the journals to dad, then the journals get placed somewhere else in the house. So not only are the worries out of the head, they are in the journal and then dad has physically put my worries in his wardrobe where they can stay for the night.”
Talk it through
Look at what can be fixed, sorted, or changed. Solve the small stuff first, then work on a plan for the rest.
List the people who love them
Worry can make kids feel like no one cares. Help them list the people who love and support them – then tuck it away for those tougher days, when you can bring it back out again.
Use the list to solve bigger worries
That list becomes a support map. Kids can use it to see who they can turn to – whether it’s family, teachers, or even coaches, as their world gets bigger, when they have big worries to solve.
Is My Worry Worth Worrying About? by Becky Overeem, illustrated by Sarah Trolle.
Little Love, 1 June 2025, RRP $20.00
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