Customer Reviews

When My Worries Get Too Big! A Relaxation Book for Children Who Live with Anxiety

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a behavioral therapist treating children with Autism and so far this book has proved to be a vital tool for dealing with anxiety-related behaviors. The number/rating scale helps children gauge their own level of anxiety without having to come up with the right words to say and then gives them the tools to calm themselves down instead of hitting, biting, etc. Highly recommended!!

I bought this for my 5-year-old son, and I thought he would throw it across the room, because he often rejects my attempts at "talking through" his anger. But he was fascinated and seemed quite relieved to have been given a strategy to help himself. He often speaks in terms of feeling like a "5" or a "3". It is, for me, a helpful context for understanding his moods. That night, after we first worked through the book, he wrote me a picture and a card saying, "Thank you, Mama. I love the book." I am now about to check out some of the other books by this author. Although these books are published by the "autism- asberger" society, or some such organization, I think it is invaluable for any child who struggles with feelings that feel too big...

This book is an excellent tool for children having diffiulties controlling their emotions. The visual thermometer and the "social story" makes it very helpful to assist these children to learn how to respond to their feelings/emotions more appropriately. My four year old likes to look at his thermometer and read the story every time he has reached a "5". It's been very helpful for him.

I used this book with my barely 4 year old (developmentally normal) who has 'anger management' issues that originate with anxiety. There are pages in the book that we were able to write or draw pictures of how he felt. The scale of 1 (calm and safe) to 5 (out of control) was a concept that he grasped right away. He is getting better and better at recognizing when he's getting worried before he gets to a 5. If he does lose control and melts down, just the verbal cue "what number are you at" or asking him to calm down and try to get back to a 1 or 2, and he immediately starts to use his strategies - deep breathing, squeezing hands, thinking happy thoughts. I love this book.

I have bought and given several copies of this book. It helps give a language to feelings that might otherwise be hard to describe.

I purchased this book for my nearly 7-year-old son after a recommendation from his special education teacher. It's a quick read at a level that would work for a very young child. The premise of the book is that the child can use the 5 point scale to help define and explain his/her level of anxiety to others (adults).

Because my son was diagnosed as ASD 4 years ago, we've been lucky to have had access to services and education in this area, so the 5 point scale used in the book was not new to us or my son. As I read the book, my son kept interrupting by saying things like, "Oh that's silly. Why would he be worried about that." He continued to feign interest in the book and made it clear that he felt the boy in the book needed to "just calm down". To be honest I didn't know whether to be happy that he had made such progress that he could tell me the imagined fears were silly, or disappointed that he wasn't more engaged.

Well, the very next day my son could not find his shoes before school. As time ticked by, his anxiety grew and grew. Then suddenly he burst out, "I CAN'T TAKE IT! I'M WAY ABOVE A 5! WAY ABOVE!" A 5, as explained in the book, is the highest level of anxiety. I couldn't help but smile as I helped him calm down and find his shoes.

My 10 year old son suffers from anxiety and this book has been an excellent help to him. He carries this book with him every where he goes and uses it as necessary to remind himself what to do when his anxiety is overwhelming! I would recommend this book to everyone who suffers from anxiety, even adults!

I'd say for toddler through 8 years (emotional/social scale). Wonderful book to give alternatives to hitting, biting, etc.

This helped our daughter understand a little better what made her worried and how to manage it. A great simple tool for kids on the spectrum.

Both of my kids are a bit anxious and this book is fantastic. The suggestions of what to do, i.e. deep breathing are excellent.