Comments on: Worry Less, Live More

By: Heather Howard

Heather Howard — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 23:35:00 +0000

I suffer from anxiety and worry seems to control a BIG part of my life. I am very aware of how irrational most of my worry is but no matter how hard I try to get rid of it, it always creeps back in. Thanks for posting this – got out a good cry which I have probably needed to do for a long time.

This is what I am going to try to take away with me and practice:

“Trust that worrying will do nothing to change the outcome.”

It’ll be the biggest defining moment in my life if I could learn to just go with the flow and relax and make decisions without stressing over them…make a decision and just do it…easier said then done, but, I am going to try!

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 02:55:00 +0000

Hi Carmen. I just want to share that developmentally, preschoolers can’t necessarily tell you what they did because they don’t necessarily have the memory in words that can be conveyed, and that isn’t unusual. You may get a lot more information out of him by asking smaller questions like ‘who did you play with’ or ‘what game did you play with Johnny today’? (Using ‘Johnny’ as a stand in name for whomever his best friend is…)

By: Hands Free Mama

Hands Free Mama — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 03:22:00 +0000

I love that quote so much, Patricia. Thank you for such a lovely compliment about my article. I greatly appreciate it.

By: Patricia Stringel Shepard

Patricia Stringel Shepard — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 00:08:00 +0000

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” -Corrie ten Boom
This article is a beautiful expansion on the above quote. Love it. Thanks for sharing so eloquently what many of us parents need to hear.

By: Hands Free Mama

Hands Free Mama — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 17:38:00 +0000

Thank you for sharing your concerns, Carmen. I commend you for knowing your child so well that you notice these changes in his behavior/mood as they relate to school. As a teacher, I would be perfectly open to a parent who wanted to come visit or observe child in the classroom. Maybe that would be a good step for you. As I said in my post, I believe it is important to let go of unnecessary worries, but that is not saying to ignore your gut instincts. When our children are not yet able to articulate their experiences, I feel it is important to make sure they are being treated well and safely. I wish you all the best.

By: Carmen

Carmen — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 15:36:00 +0000

Thank you for this post, It got to me in the right moment. I am worrying A LOT about my child’s experience in preschool, he does not talk to me about what he did during the mornings there, he says he forgets what he did, his mood changes when he is at school, he behaves differently on vacation, he seems more tranquil, connected, willing to cooperate – he does not like doing homework. This worry has been going on for a year now, when he started, I immediately noticed a change. I live in a culture where sending them to school at an early age is perfectly normal, but I thought of home schooling him instead. I never materialized that idea, though, for various reasons. My concern is that something bad could be happening to him there and he does not tell me, he says he forgets what he does, and I have even thought that they tell him not to say anything, but then I think I am being paranoid, I will try to trust that he is in good hands, that he is respected and loved there too. I also hope he gets to love school one day. Thank you for your post again first time reading you.

By: Hands Free Mama

Hands Free Mama — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 00:51:00 +0000

Thank you, Kathryn. I greatly appreciate your kind words of support!

By: Kathryn Zettlemoyer

Kathryn Zettlemoyer — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 00:32:00 +0000

As a therapist who treats patients with anxiety disorders, I appreciate this perspective. When we worry through life, we miss the best parts. Thanks-I always enjoy reading your essays.