Blog Posts and Articles
Look for the Helpers
Years ago, Fred Rogers gave sage advice for kids when they see scary news---Look for the Helpers. He said, "When I was a boy and would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this...
Worry Monster Book Now In Spanish!
Because Spanish-speaking kids also have worries, Shrinking the Worry Monster, A Kid's Guide for Saying Goodbye to Worries has been translated into Spanish! This seems especially timely as a U.S. Task Force on Children's Mental Health just recommended anxiety screening...
How to Help Kids Handle Scary News
The news is scary these days. Whether it's war or climate change or violence, bad news just goes on and on. How do you help your children handle the scary news they hear or see? For that matter, how do you help yourself cope with bad news? There is an old newsroom...
Worry Boxes Galore!!
Last month, I gave a presentation to the Whatcom County Library System for Shrinking the Worry Monster. At the end of the presentation, all the guests (young and old alike) made a worry box. (See link for full description on how to make and use a Worry Box.) Below are...
February 5, 2022 – Free Virtual Event on Reducing Worry In Children
Whatcom County Library System will be hosting a free virtual event on reducing worry in children. Since anxiety is rampant among children (and adults), this event is most timely. The author will read from her book Shrinking the Worry Monster, A Kid's Guide for Saying...
Tiny Beans Magazine Publishes Worry Time for Parents
Tiny Beans, an online parenting magazine, just published the article "Why Parents Need to Schedule Their Own Worry Time". The article was adapted from the author's online post. The Tiny Bean editors seem to agree that good parent self-care includes parents dealing...
Parents Need to Schedule Their OWN Worry Time
Last year Red Tricycle/Tiny Beans published the author's popular article on using scheduled Worry Time to help shrink kid's anxiety. One common response was that parents need their own Worry Time. "We are as stressed as our kids!", wrote one mom. I agree. Therefore,...
One Perfect Way to Lower Your Child’s Holiday Stress
Are the holidays the most wonderful time of the year? Maybe not for all. Many children look forward to a fun-filled holiday season shared with family and friends. However, way too many children become stressed and worried because their routines are disrupted, their...
Teach Your Child to Be Thankful This Holiday
Thanksgiving is more than eating a big meal, watching football, and gathering with others. Amidst the frenzy of this holiday, it is easy to forget what the holiday is about---being thankful. Here are some ways you can teach your child (and yourself) to be thankful....
Boo!! Eight Tips to Decrease Children’s Halloween Worries
Let's face it. Halloween is about scaring others and being scared. It is one of the most anticipated holidays of the year, but it can involve blood, gore, scary faces, loud noises, darkness, and going to stranger's homes. Whoa! How does this fit with trying to keep...
Shrinking the Worry Monster Free on Kindle!
Shrinking the Worry Monster, A Kid's Guide for Saying Goodbye to Worries will be free on your Kindle starting June 27 and ending June 29. This ebook format will be available to you and your children all weekend and into Monday. It will include the helpful guide to...
Help for Children’s Sleep Issues–Red Tricycle Article
At various times, all parents will need help for children's sleep issues. Red Tricycle online parenting magazine recently published my article titled How to Tame Your Child's Sleep Monster. After focusing my energy on worry, this is a slight turn to look at children...
Why Can’t I Sleep? Ways to Tame the Sleep Monster
In the land of kids and monsters, Sleep Monster wouldn't let anyone sleep a wink. Although Sleep Monster said it was fun not to sleep, he was telling a lie. Kids and monsters alike were tired and cranky, but no one knew what to do. And so begins the saga of the Sleep...
April 29, 2021 – Virtual Event on Reducing Worry for Children
The Bellingham Public Library will be hosting a free virtual event on how to reduce worry in children. The even will have readings from the book Shrinking the Worry Monster, A Kid's Guide for Saying Goodbye to Worries, along with how to make Worry Box. Preregistration...
Kids Grieving Life Before COVID Article Published
Red Tricycle online parenting magazine recently published my article on kids grieving life before COVID. (How to Help Kids That Are Grieving Life Before COVID). We are all grieving our losses from the past year, children included. Just some of their losses include...
Shrinking the Worry Monster Now on Kindle
Shrinking the Worry Monster, A Kid's Guide for Saying Goodbye to Worries is now available on Kindle for $6.99. However, it is free if you have Kindle Unlimited or happen to catch a free promotion! Given the anxiety surrounding our children, the book continues to be...
February 24, 2021 – A Parent-Teacher Virtual Event on Worry
Dr. Sally will present at a virtual parent-teacher event for the Birchwood Elementary PTO. She will be reading from her book, Shrinking The Worry Monster, and discuss ways to reduce kid's anxiety. Worry is sky high among children, teens, and adults, so this event is...
Your Kids Are Grieving Life Before COVID-19, How to Help
Of course, kids are grieving now. The pandemic has plunged all of us into a shared and and chronic grief as we mourn life before COVID-19. It is important to recognize the grief in our children (and ourselves) and learn ways to mitigate it. This article will define...
Kids Are Having a Hard Time Now. 7 Ways to Check-in
You know life is hard for kids (and for you) right now. There are so many reasons kids are struggling----no in-person school, few school sports, very little social life, former routine completely upended, fear of getting ill, and possibly living with distracted,...
Helping Kids Make Sense of the Riots at the Capitol
All if us are shocked and dismayed by what happened at the U.S. Capitol building this week. We know how hard it has been for us to make sense of the recent riots and subsequent events. Can you imagine how hard it is for your children? The Child Mind Institute just...
Invitation to a Virtual Book Event—Shrinking the Worry Monster with Dr. Sally Baird
You are invited to a virtual book event for Shrinking the Worry Monster: A Kids Guide for Saying Goodbye to Worries, Saturday, January 9, 2021 - 11:00am. This popular and very useful book uses research-based strategies to guide kids, parents, teachers, and counselors...
A New Virtual Book Event on Kid’s Anxiety
Dr. Sally will present a reading from her book, Shrinking The Worry Monster, and discuss reducing kid's anxiety for the Parkview Elementary PTO. Worry is sky high, so this January 12, 7 pm event is very timely. Contact Parkview Elementary School in Bellingham if...
The Top 9 Most Helpful Children’s Worry Books, A Review
Here are the 9 most helpful children's worry books. Many books on children's anxiety have been written, but which ones really help? How many of these books are based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a method considered to be the most effective in lowering...
How to Cope with Holiday & Covid-19 Stress
Here is an excellent article from Indiana University Health about how to cope with holiday and COVID-19 stress. This holiday you may be feeling more stress that ever before. COVID-19 cases are rising rapidly, family plans are changing, days are shorter, kids are...
Red Tricycle Publishes Worry Time Article
The Worry Time article from my blog attracted 2500 hits in the first week after it was published in Red Tricycle on 11/10/20. It appears as if childhood worry is rising as rapidly as COVID-19 cases. That's a lot of worried parents and kids. The strategies of Worry...
Worry Time, Another Clever Strategy That Works
Childhood worry seems to be rising as rapidly as COVID-19 cases. More and more children are having trouble sleeping, complaining about their fears, not doing well in school, and showing physical symptoms. Does this sound like your child? What if you have you tried...
Red Tricycle Magazine Publishes DIY Worry Box
How to make and use a Worry box to improve sleep and decrease anxiety.
A Psychologist’s DIY Worry Box Helps Kids With Worry and Sleep
What if there was a DIY Worry Box that helped reduce your child's worry, improved her sleep, and gave you a fun activity to do with her? What if the idea behind the craft was based on research and time-tested strategies that successfully lower anxiety? Would you be...
Guidelines to See Friends and Family During COVID-19
If you are like our family, you are struggling with just how much you should mingle with extended family and friends during this seemingly endless COVID-19 pandemic. What really is safe? Is it okay to see your grandchildren? What if you have a long awaited camping...
A Genius Way for Grandparents and Kids to Connect
My article, "A Genius Way for Grandparents and Kids to Connect", was recently published in June's Parent Map, an online and paper magazine for families in the Pacific NW. Click on this link to read the article. It was also picked up by News Break, an online forum...
Two Amazing Ways to Interview With Grandchildren
Grandparents, do you know your grandchildren's favorite color, closest friend, or their very favorite activity? Do you know what brings them joy, sorrow, or worry? Most grandparents would say they want to know more about their grandchildren, but they often find their...
Shrinking the Worry Monster When the Worries Are Real
Helping Children Deal with Covid-19 By Sally Baird, PhD What if my parents get sick? Why can’t I play with my friends? Will we have enough money to eat? What is a coronavirus? I’m scared Mommy…. These may be just some of the questions and comments you are hearing from...
How to Manage Covid-19 Anxiety
My friend and former mentor, Laura Kastner, PhD, wrote a very timely article for Seattle's Parent Map. She describes three phases in our adjustment to Covid-19 anxiety: SPUR, LURCH, and COPE. SPUR The SPUR phase includes shock, protest, understand, and respond....
Shrinking the Worry Monster A Top Seller!
Shrinking the Worry Monster, A Kid's Guide for Saying Goodbye to Worries was rated the 8th best seller for 2019 among children's books at the independent bookstore, Village Books in Fairhaven, WA. Click here to see The Chuckanut Reader. This is tremendous news,...
Grandparents Can Help Grandchildren Shrink Their Worries
With the coronavirus pandemic, most of us are isolated in our homes and not able to see our extended family. This includes grandparents who want to help their children and grandchildren, but can't see them in-person. Meanwhile, grandchildren need even more support as...
King’s Book event on 2/27 a success!
Since the book event at King's Books had to be rescheduled, it is nice to share about our last successful book event. Covid-19 has put almost everything on hold, but more book events at other locations will be scheduled. Follow Sally's blog postings for future events....
Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus
The Coronavirus has caused significant anxiety in everyone, kids and adults alike. I recently found an excellent article in the New York Times/Parenting section to help parents and others talk to kids about the virus. Some of the excellent points in the article...
March 29 book event suspended for now
Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, Third Place books has cancelled all book events. They are hoping to reschedule Shrinking the Worry Monster to a date in June. Meanwhile, I will be posting regular blog posts with advice on how to help your children, teens, and you deal...
BOOK EVENT – Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park
Sunday, March 29, 6 pm 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park Shrinking the Worry Monster A Kid's Guide for Saying Good-Bye to Worries Worry monster has been whispering mean things to kids and making them feel terrible. Not it is up to two brave kids to discover worry...
King’s Books
Sally will be reading at King’s Books in Tacoma, Washington on February 27 at 6:00 p.m. If you are in the area, please join us. This is family-friendly event, so be sure to bring the kids! 218 St Helen’s Ave,Tacoma, Washington 253-272-8801
New Endorsement for Shrinking the Worry Monster
When I started my book writing journey, I had no idea how many wonderful folks I would meet along the way. One important person is Dan Peters, PhD, a co-founder of the Summit Centers in California. These centers provide assessments, consultation, and counseling to...
Preventing Holiday Stress and Anxiety in Children
The holidays can be joyous and fun, but they also can create anxiety in children because routines are altered, bedtimes are later, many more activities are scheduled, sweets are eaten, and sometimes, parents are frantically trying to get things done. Of course, this...
Book Launch – December 7 – Bellingham
Join me on December 7, 2019, 10:30 a.m. at Village Books Readings Gallery for the launch of Shrinking the Worry Monster. This is a family-friendly event where the format will be split between story-time for kids and then time for a discussion of children's anxiety...
Book Launch – December 14 – Lynden
Please join me for the launch of Shrinking the Worry Monster on December 14, 2019, 2 pm at the Inn at Lynden, Waples Room, (connected to Village Books in Lynden). This is a family-friendly event where the format will be split between story-time for kids and then time...
Shrinking the Worry Monster
Published in Southside Living Magazine, November 2019
Once there was a big, green Worry Monster who loved to make kids worry and feel bad. He did this by whispering mean things…
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