<![CDATA[The Worry Bug

<![CDATA[The Worry Bug - Blog]]>Sat, 11 Apr 2026 05:13:09 +1200Weebly<![CDATA[Rising Tide Mural Included in Exciting New Christchurch Street Art Augmented Reality App by Evans Taylor Digital!]]>Mon, 14 Oct 2019 05:19:37 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/rising-tide-mural-included-in-exciting-new-christchurch-street-art-augmented-reality-app-by-evans-taylor-digitalWe're so excited for Christchurch, for Evans Taylor Digital, for street artists of Christchurch and most especially for Ari! The mural that we commissioned of Ari from 'Rising Tide' in his boat has been included in this exciting new Augmented Reality App. The original illustration was done by the award-winning Canterbury illustrator Jenny Cooper and rendered beautifully onto the wall on the corner of Manchester and Gloucester by Christchurch artist Richard 'Pops' Baker. Download the app and have a wander!

Plain Sight - ETD’s exciting new augmented reality smartphone app - brings
Christchurch’s street art murals to life. Plain Sight’s creators, Sam Evans and Adrian
Taylor, are passionate about emerging virtual technologies and believe that
augmented reality is the perfect way to deliver an innovative, interactive experience.

Evans Taylor Digital wants to help revitalise the Christchurch CBD and see street art
murals as a fun way to give the city centre a unique identity. The Plain Sight app is
free and available on the App Store and Google Play Store. Download Plain Sight, click
the augment button and aim your smartphone at one of the many murals. The app
gives the amazing artwork added layers of interactivity, colour and playfulness.

Plain Sight showcases many individual murals. The app’s designers worked closely
with artists to ensure murals have a unique animation that matches the style of the
artwork and doesn’t detract from any of its originality. The Plain Sight app brings
these impressive murals to residents, visitors, and a worldwide audience. People
anywhere can download the Plain Sight app, visit the App Store on your iPhone or the
Google Play Store on your android smartphone.

Evans Taylor Digital gives special thanks to Christchurch City Council and the
Christchurch Airport for funding this project. Also, they thank Watch This Space for
helping to connect and build relationships with the street artists. Their support made
the app possible.

Website:
http://evanstaylor.digital/plain-sight/
Google Play Store:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.evanstaylor.android.plainsight
Apple App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/nz/app/plain-sight/id1476782472

Evans Taylor Digital
49 Ferry Rd, CHCH
info@evanstaylor.digital
https://www.facebook.com/evanstaylordigital/

]]><![CDATA[A Rising Tide lifts all boats]]>Mon, 03 Jun 2019 22:33:38 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/a-rising-tide-lifts-all-boatsThe Worry Bug Project & sKids collaborate on release of 2000 free books to help kids with anxiety, nationwide.

In response to the Christchurch terror attacks, the Worry bug project (co-authors and publishers Sarina Dickson (educationalist and teacher) and Julie Burgess-Manning (psychologist)) are donating nearly 2000 copies of their therapeutic book ‘Rising Tide’ to sKids (Safe kids in daily supervision) to distribute to children nationwide. “Although this happened in Christchurch, we know that children and families all around the country are feeling the hurt and worry of this unprecedented event” says psychologist Julie Burgess-Manning. “How has life changed? Are we safe? How do we manage these worried feelings in our children and ourselves? These are some of the anxieties families are facing.”

"We approached sKids with this offer because of their widespread reach across the country and their obvious heart for community, families and children.” sKids are receiving the Rising Tide books across their 170 sites next week and will distribute them to the children enrolled there. sKids business development manager Chris Bartels says “sKids is dedicated to giving back to our communities, and over the past years has donated thousands to very important causes. We think this is another way we can support New Zealand families to access resources in the wake of this horrifying event.”

Rising Tide was developed in partnership with the New Zealand Red Cross to support children and families to address mild to moderate anxiety. The book - a mix of story and exercises - is designed to be used in class and then at home. It is supported with videos and lesson plans for teachers, and exercises for families and therapists. Illustrated by award-winning Canterbury artist Jenny Cooper, it is avail- able in Te Reo Māori, English and Braille, as well as open-source in audio and digital form in both English and Te Reo Māori via the Worry bug website www.theworrybug.co.nz. Sarina, primary author, says “Rising Tide was written in the wake of the success of our first two books and short film (Everything is going to be alright) when parents and teachers asked for something for older children. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with more than 22 000 copies distributed.”

“Whilst we see it as important to reach children who are feeling anxious and suggest tools and resources to help address this, we have a larger vision - to build resources that work to scaffold learning and collaboration across the teacher, parent, child triangle - we call it ‘home and school scaffolding’. Rising Tide is more than just a simple story, it can be used to encourage and develop a climate of compassion, leading to an increase in pro-social behaviour and a positive classroom culture.” And this is what the Massey University team who joined the partnership early in the project’s journey, were interested in - not only whether the resources were effective, but what the project would tell us about what is useful in post-disaster situations.

Massey continues to research the project resources and also to examine the role of a whole-class tool for measuring wellbeing.

Copies of Rising Tide and He Tai Pari can be purchased via The Worry Bug website. Both versions of the story are also available to listen to or read on the website.

Safe Kids in Daily Supervision (sKids), was launched in New Zealand in 1996 when two mothers recognised the need for structured Out of School Care for primary school aged children. Dawn Engelbrecht and Bev Parsons, sKids franchisees purchased the New Zealand franchisor business in 2006, which at the time had 19 locations. In 2010, Chris Bartels joined as a director shareholder along with Dawn & Bev. Under their leadership, sKids has become New Zealand’s largest private out of school supervised care provider at 180 schools throughout the country, offering before and after school care, holiday programmes, as well as specialty programmes including; cooking, music and multi-sports.

Sarina Dickson Julie Burgess-Manning

]]><![CDATA[2019 Bullying-Free NZ Week]]>Tue, 14 May 2019 09:09:28 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/2019-bullying-free-nz-week

The theme of this year's Bullying-Free NZ week is ‘Whakanuia Tōu Āhua Ake! Celebrating Being Us!’ The week provides a great opportunity for students to celebrate what makes them unique – such as talents, interests, appearance, disability, culture, beliefs, race, gender or sexuality – and encourage schools to build environments where everyone is welcome, safe and free from bullying.

Visit www.bullyingfree.org to access a wide range of resources for students, teachers, parents and Boards of Trustees to support our kids through Bullying-Free week and beyond.

To mark this week we're fortunate to have been gifted three copies of Alex Hallatt's book
FAB (Friends Against Bullying) Club
If you were being bullied, what would you do? What if you could join a club that could make the bullying stop? This is the story of how the best ever club got started. Friends Against Bullying - Join the Club!

To enter email “me@alexhallatt.com” with the subject “FAB Club giveaway” before the end of Pink Shirt Day
( 17.5.19)
Your email address will added to Alex's monthly email list but you can unsubscribe at any time.

Available online, or by asking your favourite library or bookstore.
https://www.fishpond.co.nz/Books/Fab-Friends-Against-Bullying-Club-Alex-Hallatt-Alex-Hallatt-Illustrated-by/9780995548206
https://www.whitcoulls.co.nz/product/fab-friends-against-bullying-club-978099554820637906
ISBN: 978-0-9955482-0-6

More information, fun and games at:
https://www.alexhallatt.com/fab

]]><![CDATA[Back to school after the terror attacks]]>Sat, 16 Mar 2019 11:00:00 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/back-to-school-after-the-terror-attacks

So, big day tomorrow - back to school for many kids, back to work for many parents, many are still waiting for loved ones to recover or their bodies to be released - here's some ideas for helping our precious tamariki and us, their heroes;
Look after yourself; if you're sad or worried, talk about it, or do things that help you move it on, don't bury it and become inactive.

There are many helplines available or your GP can point you to counselling services. Use them.

Helping yourself helps your family, ignoring your own needs won't help them. Even if you haven't lost anyone you may still be feeling tremendously upset. For those who went through the earthquakes, you may have been triggered by many parts of this event - the emergency response, helicopters, cones, flowers, sounds, powerlessness etc etc. Don't ignore these feelings, they are perfectly valid reminders of the danger you have been in. Use the help services that are being offered.

Help children grieve by allowing their emotions and not shutting them down. Find ways for them to express themselves - children do this through play, drawing, acting things out - don't be surprised or angry if they play with imaginary guns or emergency vehicles, it's part of working through it.

Make life predictable. Talk about routines, changes to routines, bus/car routes that may have changed with road closures, anything that is different. Keep doing the things you do as much as you can.

Decide what your 'line' is and repeat it often, so that it becomes a habit in their heads - e.g. "This is not what happens in NZ, it is an unusual situation, the trust you have in the world has not changed."

Take care to look after, reassure and comfort, but also allow them to be competent and confident again - don't squash their efforts to be back in their lives and don't allow them to avoid too long - ease them back into it.

Warn them about the increased police presence, that there may be guns, and there may be helicopters (especially as the sound of the helicopter may be distressing), and that these people are ensuring our safety, showing the world that we are well protected.

The MOE is having teams on the ground in Christchurch and at many schools - there will be resources and people available. Use them and encourage your kids to.
Give love, give hugs (if wanted), think about how your little ones like to receive love and do that. Do it for yourself too.

]]><![CDATA[Christchurch Terror Attacks]]>Thu, 14 Mar 2019 11:00:00 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/christchurch-terror-attacks

To all our Christchurch whanau and especially those in the Muslim community;
It's a difficult day, a day we shouldn't be facing, but remember your love, your strength and that we all stand against this as a community. As someone has just reminded me, this was caused by people, not by natural forces -

Here's some ideas that might help -
It's at times like this that our adrenalin is going full tilt, fight/flight responses fully engaged - but if you or your kids are still in lockdown, you will be feeling frozen and wanting action. It's a hard time to practice patience and calm, but imperative for your brain to function optimally.

So, if you're in lockdown and worried;
When you're in an anxious high adrenalin state your brain finds it difficult to think rationally. It's important to return your brain to a more normal state before making decisions.

Use your breathing rhythm to calm yourself, long slow breaths in and out and focus your attention on the breath to help your body return to a more normal state.

Focus on things around you rather than thoughts in your head, try to be in the situation, not in the potential situations in your head.

Reduce your exposure to social media. Listen to verified reports and need-to-know information.

Keep eating and drinking if you can.

Here's some things to help your kids when you get home safe;

Be vigilant about the amount of media you and they are watching, there's a lot of rumour out there, limit your watching to necessary information rather than information that increases worry and rumination.

Distract kids from the subject with games, videos, books, the usual things that they enjoy.

Avoid too much talk about the topic in front of them, give them the information they need but don't go on.

Eat good nutritious food, keep hydrated, don't change household routines because of the situation, - the kids can still do the washing up!

Look after yourself so that you can nurture them - talk to friends/other adults if you are feeling upset, so that you can then be a listening ear for your children.

Kids may be scared and will want to share their fears. It's normal to feel worried, but reassure them that the world hasn't changed, this is an unusual situation and things will go back to normal soon. When you listen you don't need to solve, you just need to listen and be empathic. Feelings usually retreat after a short while if they are listened to and acknowledged. Avoid dismissing feelings.

Be gentle with yourself and others, bring on your loving self to encourage others to as well.

Kia kaha Ōtautahi

]]><![CDATA[BACK TO SCHOOL AND STARTING SCHOOL WORRY]]>Sun, 27 Jan 2019 20:00:55 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/back-to-school-and-starting-school-worry

Most New Zealand school children are now enjoying the last few days of summer holidays. Many children are raring to get back to school, looking forward to seeing their friends, loved teachers and the familiar playground. However some children will be apprehensive and even a little bit anxious about the first few days, especially those starting a new school or beginning for the first time. This apprehension is very normal, but can be distressing, so here are some ideas to help.

Don’t overdo the worry
Be careful not to exaggerate the worry. Your job is to be a stable and firm rock for your kids to lean on as they discover the world and how to be in it. Keep your own worries to yourself. Listening to worries and helping kids find ways through them builds resilience and skill so they can eventually manage their worries themselves. Remember that all your parenting up to now has helped them be resilient and strong.

Have a play in the school playground
Playing alongside your kids can be an easy way to get them talking about what they might be worried about. This creates an opportunity to offer some strategies for if their worry comes to fruition. What if they have no-one to play with? Where will they eat their lunch?

Create or increase your child’s familiarity with their new teachers, or teachers
All kids need to feel connected to their teacher to feel comfortable in the classroom, and in a team teaching environment this is just as important. Until they do, they are not ready to learn. Teachers know this, and “collect” their students emotionally at the start of the school year.
Print a photo of the teacher from the school website, or email the office and ask them to send one. Stick the picture to the fridge and speak positively about her/him.

Get your bedtime routine back into action
Bedtimes naturally slip in the holidays. In the next few days get the bedtime routine back into action to support the night before school starts back with a familiar rhythm.

Let your child choose their own stationery
As much as possible support your child to choose their own school stationery so they feel some ownership and control

Dropping off/Saying goodbye
For many children, the biggest challenge will be saying goodbye to you. Think about how you will do this - will you stay with them prior to school? Or will you drop them from the car? Will they walk or bike or bus to school with a friend or a sibling? What will work best for everyone? Although this can be a difficult time, it is normal to say goodbye to adults and head off to school, so try to minimise the distress around parting by treating it as a normal event. If you are staying prior to school starting, think about who you could hook your child up with when you do leave - perhaps a special friend who you meet in the playground, or their teacher. Let them know what the routine will be, so they are prepared for you to go.

In their bags
You might give your child a small keepsake to hold on to that reminds them of you, such as a cut-out heart with a love, or a small stone you found on the beach together, that she can keep in her pocket while you’re apart and give back upon your return. A book that my children particularly like is ‘The Kissing Hand’ by Audrey Penn. It tells the story of a little raccoon who is afraid to let his mother go at school, so she places a kiss in the palm of his hand for him to hold onto in case he needs it.

A few days before school starts go over the important points of the first day with them.
Discuss who will drop/take them to school, connect them up with some friends if you can, remind them of the books they need to take, ask about a favourite lunch food you can provide, and think together about what they might be doing during the day.

Be prepared for after 3pm meltdowns (and 4pm, 5pm and 6pm...)
Starting something new is exhausting, especially for children. Be prepared for some tears, this emotional release is normal. Just be a listening ear.

Using stories like ‘The Kissing Hand’ or the books in The Worry Bug series can help to support children and begin discussions about beliefs and worries. 5000 copies of the books in The Worry Bug series were distributed to Marlborough ECEs and schools late in 2018 and parents will be seeing and hearing about them when they come home in Term 1.

Registered psychologist and co-author of the Worry Bug Project resources Julie Burgess-Manning says that anxiety can show itself in unexpected ways. There are numerous ways to deal with anxiety but the best place to start for young children is within their family. Getting families to realise that anxiety doesn’t’ sit within individual members, but it is shown in interactions and relationships, is one of the projects aims.

“Anxiety is tough on parents as well as children – it can manifest in numerous ways and it is easy to mistake anxiety for bad behavior. Things like sleep issues, an inability to pay attention, obsessive behavior or even rudeness can be linked to anxiety.”

For more information and support resources visit www.theworrybug.co.nz

Buy the books here

]]><![CDATA[The Five Ways to Christmas Wellbeing, with apologies to the authors.]]>Mon, 24 Dec 2018 02:32:43 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/the-five-ways-to-christmas-wellbeing-with-apologies-to-the-authors

CONNECT the five sets of Christmas solar lights up together using little twisty ties and sling them out the bedroom window so they reach the big pine tree. Climb the pine tree using the youngest of your children to steady the ladder and twine the lights around the branches whilst yelling “do not climb the ladder!!”

GIVE the lights a trial run...before you climb the big pine tree...

TAKE NOTICE of the wee writing on the label attached to the cord before you climb the big pine tree and arrange the “indoor only “ lights so precisely

KEEP LEARNING about how to get down the big pine tree when the ladder has gone as your youngest has redeployed it as a “magic beanstalk to the clouds”

BE ACTIVE in taking revenge on the people who wrote the wee writing, the person who knew only two bulbs worked when they took the lights down last year, whoever thought a giant living on a cloud was a reasonable idea and the Ning Nong who planted the **** great pine tree in the first place!!

Merry Christmas everyone, may the gods of Christmas present(s) be sweet to you and yours.

The Worry Bug team

]]><![CDATA[5 Ways to Wellbeing For Kids]]>Tue, 09 Oct 2018 09:13:25 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/5-ways-to-wellbeing-for-kids

]]><![CDATA[Fully funded Worry Bug Project books bound for Marlborough district]]>Wed, 12 Sep 2018 06:31:22 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/fully-funded-worry-bug-project-books-bound-for-marlborough-districtFollowing the success of The Worry Bug series in Canterbury, Kaikoura & Hurunui funding has been allocated for schools & Early Childhood Providers in Marlborough.

The Worry Bug series consists of three books in english and Te reo Māori for children aged approx 4-12. The books are beautifully illustrated with peer-reviewed teaching notes and parent support notes which address mild to moderate anxiety in classrooms and homes. The books have been well received in the Canterbury area and following requests from principals and parents in Marlborough the New Zealand Red Cross have offered funding for every teacher and child aged 4 to year 9 to receive a copy.

The books are story based, using the principles of Narrative Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Theory. Massey University have been researching the books' efficacy since they launched in 2015. Teachers, parents and therapists can access further support resources via our website www.theworrybug.co.nz

The lesson plans are easily resourced and curriculum linked and your school will be supported in their delivery by the books creators- Sarina Dickson (Teacher) and Julie Burgess-Manning (Registered Psychologist). We will be asking participating schools to nominate a contact person within the school to be the main point of contact.

Over the next few weeks Celeste will contact Marlborough schools and ECEs via the office to discuss the fully funded books, answer any questions and collect numbers of books required.

"Books have a way of drawing children and families together. It's our hope that both families and schools enjoy using The Worry Bug Project's resources and gain valuable insights and skills that help them face future challenges together" -Michael Donoghue, New Zealand Red Cross

]]><![CDATA[The Commuting Book's 'Stories on the Go' includes Rising Tide and He Tai Pari!]]>Wed, 01 Aug 2018 07:31:35 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/the-commuting-books-stories-on-the-go-includes-rising-tide-and-he-tai-pari

The Worry Bug Project is thrilled to be included in the exciting new literacy initiative 'Stories on the Go'. The Commuting Book, led by Magdalena Lorenzo, has partnered with Christchurch's Red Bus company to bring stories to bus riders. Next to each seat on the CBD to Airport run passengers will find a QR code. They can use their phone to access extracts from books which will change each month. There are stories across all genre, from authors of all ages, including some from Christchurch's School For Young Writers.

Each month a new chapter from Rising Tide and He Tai Pari will be on one of the QR codes. If a passenger comes across a chapter, they can also access the previous chapters on the Commuting Book website. If they need some support to access the text they can visit our website to use the audio version of the books.

]]><![CDATA[Making Everything Alright - Mental health in times of familial change and stress]]>Tue, 08 May 2018 05:53:42 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/making-everything-alright-mental-health-in-times-of-familial-change-and-stressThe latest addition to The Worry Bug Project resources is ‘Making Everything Alright’, a series of three videos. The videos address themes within the Te Whare Tapa Whā model, offering a bio-psychosocial approach to managing after disaster or times of significant change. The series references clinical and research based evidence for the techniques discussed and grounds the information in family experiences from the quakes in Canterbury.

I wasn’t here in Canterbury when the big quakes struck, I didn’t have to manage my panic and find safety for my children and myself. I watched on TV as the buildings came down and the rubble settled. We arrived soon after, with the emergency workers, and so have had to adjust to a new island, new work and new friends. We have had a different kind of experience, managing the aftershocks without the trauma of the main ones but having to build a whole new life.

When I think about trauma and anxiety in my life I am transported to the time when my Dad died in an accident at home, when I was 15. I was there alone with him, and even now I know that I haven’t recovered - some 32 years later. The trauma of that day stays with me in the way that my body responds when I think about it - I get flushed, tearful and my stomach turns over. My brain can replay the feelings I had, the images I saw and sounds that I heard, with some standing out so vividly - the multi-colour of Dad’s jacket when I found him, the rushing panic of calling the ambulance - the wait for them to come, and the slippers the ambulance driver was wearing - all burned on my brain.

Trauma and anxiety are persistent. And it doesn’t really matter what kind of traumatic experience we go through - the effects are largely the same. In our first movie of this resource “Making everything alright” Dougal Sutherland, a good friend and clinical psychologist from Wellington, takes us through two of the main responses to anxiety after significant events. What I know to be reassuring about his advice, is that we can, in most cases, learn to manage the ongoing effects of trauma and anxiety, and in doing so, help our children manage them.
Even though I may still have some responses to the trauma I went through 32 years later, they are appropriate responses - and they don’t take over my life. And that would be my aim for most of the clients that I see. Anxiety is an appropriate response to some situations - it is fair enough to get worried when your parents split, or when there is an ongoing bully at school, or when life keeps throwing difficulties at you. It is also appropriate for your brain to go into ‘fight or flight’ panic mode, to keep you safe when traumatic events occur. But it isn’t okay if these responses keep happening and keep upsetting life, when the events have retreated.

“Making everything alright” is our latest attempt to give some in-depth methods for use in many situations. It’s a follow on from our first movie “Everything is going to be alright” with some strategies and evidence to back up the themes introduced there. These are certainly not the only things that may help, but they do have a weight of academic research behind them.

For me, the “Making everything alright” came in a similar form - my extended family cosseting us in the days after Dad’s death and then helping us to resume normal life - not to avoid it. My school community responding with sympathy and respect, the ongoing acknowledgement of my feelings and the caring attitudes of teachers as we carried on. Forming new relationships as a result, old relationships deepening. And although I think differently now about spirituality than I did at 15, the spiritual aspect of knowing that there is a collective of minds, and peace to be found, was a force for me as I worked my way through this huge change in my life. These themes, support, community, facing the fear, realising that the gap Dad left could be filled in other ways, were how I managed my way through. And that old chestnut - carrying on.

I wonder what Dad would have thought as he watched me. Maybe he would have said, “It’s okay, everything is going to be all right,” and kept on digging his garden.

-Julie Burgess-Manning

1. Psychological Support
Julie Burgess-Manning interviews Dr Dougal Sutherland.

2. Physical and Spiritual Support
Julie Burgess-Manning interviews Neave Ross-Wallace.

3. Community Support
Julie Burgess-Manning interviews Sue Turner.

‘Making Everything Alright’www.theworrybug.co.nz/making-everything-alright-videos.html is funded by the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust and Kōtuku Creative and is supported by the All Right? mental health campaign.

]]><![CDATA[Minimising Starting School and Back to School Worry and Anxiety]]>Wed, 17 Jan 2018 05:26:06 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/minimising-starting-school-and-back-to-school-worry-and-anxiety2832007

Most New Zealand school children are now enjoying the last few days of summer holidays. Many children are raring to get back to school, however some children will be apprehensive, even a little bit (or a lot!) anxious about the first few days.

Kids who are starting school for the first time or moving to a new school have to cope with the biggest adjustment, but even moving up a year level means facing more academic demands, a new teacher, making new friends, or re-establishing old friendships. For some kids, this is a breeze, but for others the last few days of the holidays can be stressful. They may show their worry by struggling to get to sleep, challenging behaviour or tearfulness. Here are some simple strategies to support you, to support your kids.

Have a play in the school playground
Playing alongside your kids can be an easy way to get them talking about what they might be worried about. This creates an opportunity to offer some strategies for if their worst worry comes to fruition. What if they have no-one to play with? Where will they eat their lunch?
It’s a bonus if you spot some other children there at the same time.

Create or increase your child’s familiarity with their new teachers, or teachers
All kids need to feel connected to their teacher to feel comfortable in the classroom, and in a team teaching environment this is just as important. Until they do, they are not ready to learn. Teachers know this, and “collect” their students emotionally at the start of the school year.
Print a photo of the teacher from the school website, or email the office and ask them to send one. Stick the picture to the fridge and speak positively about her/him. This adult is going to be hugely important to your child this coming year, supporting your child to feel like you, the teacher and your child are on the same team will make everything more manageable.

Practice saying goodbye
For many children, the biggest challenge will be saying goodbye to you. Talk about what you’ll say and do when it’s time to leave on the first day. You might like to invent a silly saying or rhyme that will be part of your routine, for example”
“I love you, you love me, have a great day and I’ll see you at 3!”
You might give your child a small keepsake to hold on to that reminds them of you, such as a cut-out heart with a love note, or a small stone you found on the beach together, that she can keep in her pocket while you’re apart and give back upon your return. A book that my children particularly like is ‘The Kissing Hand’ by Audrey Penn. It the story the little raccoon is afraid to let his mother go at school so she places a kiss in the palm of his hand for him to hold onto in case he needs it.

Get your bedtime routine back into action
If your house is anything like mine bedtimes slip in the holidays. In the next few days get the bedtime routine back into action to support the night before school starts back with a familiar rhythm.

Let your child choose his own stationery
As much as possible support your child to choose their own school stationery so they feel some ownership and control

The day before school starts, talk about exactly what will happen the next day
Talk through what will happen from when they wake up. Talk about how their friends might also be feeling nervous, but also excited. Remind your child how you will say goodbye and reassure them that you will be fine too.

Be prepared for after 3pm meltdowns (and 4pm, 5pm and 6pm...)
Starting something new is exhausting, especially for children. Holding it together all day can result in some pretty challenging behaviour at home. Be prepared for some tears, it won’t be just your house it’s happening in!

Take care of you too!
Believe me when I say it won’t just be you with tears in your eyes when you drive away. Trust that you’ve prepared your child for today, trust that the teaching staff have your child’s best interests at heart and trust that your child has the inner resilience to make it to 3pm.

For worry and anxiety that is causing problems in families, we recommend our book 'Maia and the Worry Bug' written by Julie Burgess-Manning and illustrated by Jenny Cooper. This book deals with the cycle of worry within families and has suggested conversation topics and exercises for the whole family in the back.

For worry and anxiety about school and things happening outside of the family we recommend our book 'Wishes and Worries' Written by Sarina Dickson and illustrated by Jenny Cooper. This book addresses the overwhelming feeling some children experience with worry and anxiety and has lesson plans in the back for teachers.

And for older students, approx 8-12 years, Rising Tide written by Sarina Dickson and illustrated by Jenny Cooper has lesson plans, and notes for families and therapists to support positive classroom culture, and increase resilience and emotional intelligence. Rising Tide is also available on our website to read or listen to in english and Te reo. www.theworrybug.co.nz

]]><![CDATA[Supporting Positive Classroom Culture- Class sets of books for $60!]]>Fri, 24 Nov 2017 00:51:47 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/supporting-positive-classroom-culture-class-sets-of-books-for-60

The generous funding that The Worry Bug Project received over the last three years from The New Zealand Red Cross, The Rata Foundation and The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust has now ended however because of the hugely positive response we received from parents and teachers we are offering the opportunity for schools to buy class sets at a greatly reduced price in order for them to boost their classroom culture in the new school year.

Over the last three years 50 000 copies of our six titles have been used by schools for students from year 0 to year 9 in Canterbury, Selwyn, Waimakariri and Hurunui districts. Now schools outside of these regions have the opportunity to utilise these resources with their own students, teachers and families at a greatly reduced price. Stock is limited and orders will close on December 8th, or when stocks run out.

Each title has full lesson plans and curriculum links, along with notes and exercises for families. 'Rising Tide' and 'He Tai Pari' also has audio versions available through our site. This opportunity is open to all New Zealand schools, however we support individuals purchasing a class set as a gift for their school. Shop now, or email us for an invoice sales@kotukucreative.co.nz

Rising Tide Class Set (Yr 5-9) $60.00 30 copies
Maia/Wishes Class Set (Yr 0-4) $60.00 25 Maia/2Wishes

Shop Now

]]><![CDATA[Massey University Worry Bug and Rising Tide Research Focus Groups]]>Sun, 15 Oct 2017 06:03:47 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/massey-university-worry-bug-and-rising-tide-research-focus-groupsMassey University, led by researcher Dr Benita Stiles-Smith has been conducting research on the use of The Worry Bug series of books since 2015. They are currently seeking expressions of interest to participate in research focus groups. They would like to hear from both teachers and parents who have used the books.

Invitation to parents and school staff

The research team at Massey University would love to hear about what parents and teachers think of the Worry Bug and Rising Tide books. We are holding focus groups in November, and we invite all parents whose children have used either of the books to come along and have a say. We also invite all school staff who have used either of the books with their class, or in their school, to participate. Anything you share will be kept confidential, and you can opt out at any time.

If you are interested, please email S.Herkt@massey.ac.nz with your selections from the following:

Worry Bug or Rising Tide group;
parent or school staff member;
week of 13-16, 20-23, or 27-30 November;
day (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday);
before school, lunchtime, or after school.

Or text your selections to 021 158 3755.
Please include your name, school and preferred contact details.

]]><![CDATA[Burnham School Book Week Visit]]>Thu, 07 Sep 2017 02:47:58 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/burnham-school-book-week-visit

I had a great time at Burnham School this morning. It was so much fun to meet the amazing students and teachers and see all of their creative book week costumes. We got to chat about books and writing and the students asked some fabulous questions like, 'Do you have to have the life experience of something to write about it?' and 'What advice do you have for young writers?'

There were obviously some very keen writers amongst them and we talked a bit about how children can get their work published. If you, or a student you know have a special piece of writing you'd like to share you can send it to ToiToi - Toitoi celebrates the ideas, imaginations and creative spirit of our young writers and artists. We publish material with an original and authentic voice that other young people can connect to and be inspired by and that reflects the cultures and experiences of life in New Zealand.If you are a young New Zealand writer or artist and you are 5-13 years old, we would love to hear from you.

Or you can subscribe and contribute to The School For Young Writers' magazine 'Write On' - Twice as good as Christmas, Write On comes out twice a year, full of poems and stories by young writers aged 8–19. It’s a great read, a superb resource for teachers and a welcome addition to any school, community or family library.
The School For Young Writers is located in Christchurch with weekly term time classes, and you can also work with the tutors via email/skype.

Sarina Dickson is a Christchurch-based writer, teacher, artist and mother of three. She is passionate about the regeneration of Christchurch, education and the well being of families. Sarina co-authorsThe Worry Bug Project which produces books for children, families and schools focusing on positive classroom culture and mental health. Sarina participated as an artist in Christchurch Wild in Art event Stand Tall in 2014 and is currently working on a owl for Auckland's Wild in Art event The Big Hoot 2018.

]]><![CDATA[Rising Tide at Southern Health School]]>Tue, 22 Aug 2017 23:02:34 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/rising-tide-at-southern-health-schoolThis week I was lucky enough to attend a session at the Southern Health School. Teachers, Jo Kennard, Vanessa Rowan, Sarah Wiseman and Health Worker, Jess Findsen contacted me to get some feedback on the unique way they were using 'Rising Tide' as a supporting text. They created a unit of work that uses parts of the Rising Tide lesson plans woven in with strands of positive psychology and character strengths in an exciting and innovative way after attending an inspirational professional development session with Dr Lucy Hone. I loved seeing this in action and felt warmly welcomed by both the staff and students.

We began by watching this fun video about 'Womps', or worries which was a great lead in to exploring our worries and support networks.

Here's Jamie's awesome 'womp' sculpture. The students used an ipad to photograph their womp and then the app 'chatterpix' which enabled them to record a voice for their womp and have it animated.

The session was so engaging for the students with lots of opportunities to integrate technology into their learning and collaboration.

Not only will I be looking for opportunities to use the chatterpix app I also got to try out a cool new game that I can now recommend for home and classroom use- 'Dobble' fun, fast and great for visual discrimination. It says from 6 years but I think eagle-eyed 4 and 5 year olds would love it too.

New Zealand's Health Schools were established fourteen years ago, out of "Special Education 2000", to help keep children learning when they are unwell for extended periods and missing school. There are three Health Schools in New Zealand and together they assist around 2,500 students each year. Health Schools provide educational support to children whether they're in hospital or at home in the community. Modern medical practice has reduced the amount of time patients actually spend in hospital for treatment, and there are long-term illnesses which don't require hospital treatment.
Health School teachers spend about two-thirds of their time teaching children in a community setting and only one-third of their work occurs in hospitals. The Southern Health School began with around twelve teachers in six sites around the South Island, teaching around 100 students in a year. As the school has become more widely known it now has 21 teachers in eleven sites, teaching nearly 700 students in a year.
http://www.srhs.school.nz/admissions

Sarina Dickson is a Christchurch-based writer, teacher, artist and mother of three. She is passionate about the regeneration of Christchurch, education and the well being of families. Sarina co-authorsThe Worry Bug Project which produces books for children, families and schools focusing on positive classroom culture and mental health. Sarina participated as an artist in Christchurch Wild in Art event Stand Tall in 2014 and is currently working on a owl for Auckland's Wild in Art event The Big Hoot 2018.

]]><![CDATA[Review of Rising Tide by Clinical Psycholgist Dr Kirsty Ross]]>Thu, 27 Jul 2017 21:05:54 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/review-of-rising-tide-by-clinical-psycholgist-dr-kirsty-ross

Dr Kirsty Ross is the Senior Clinical Psychologist and Senior Lecturer at Massey University. She recently reviewed 'Rising Tide' by Sarina Dickson (Kōtuku Creative, 2016) for 'Psychology Aotearoa' Volume 9, Number 1, May 2017.
'This book beautifully sets out complex psychological processes in a way that children aged 8-12 will understand and relate to.'

Book review for “Rising Tide” by Sarina Dickson, published by Kōtuku Creative with Therapist notes from Julie Burgess-Manning.
This is the third book in The Worry Bug series by the Kotuku Creative group, and targets children aged 8-12 years old. It is available in English as well as in Te Reo. It is a delightful story that centres on a young ten-year-old boy (Ari) who is trying to manage some big worries. Ari lives with his parents and two sisters in a small rural town, and is having a great deal of trouble with writing, reading and spelling, which he is trying to keep a secret. The effort of trying to hide this leads him to experience physical symptoms of anxiety, negative cognitions, and feelings of shame, sadness and worry; it also results in him avoiding situations where his secret might be found out. He also avoids friends, family and his kind supportive teacher, leading to him missing out on key supports. A major event involving his beloved Koro leads to a series of events that ultimately lead to him discovering that his much-admired father and Koro also have the same difficulties, and Ari realises that sharing his problems and worries leads to him learning that they are often not as bad as he feared.

The story illustrates the five part CBT model very well, with Ari having physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural responses to situations where his worries are triggered. His pattern of avoidance – and how it worsens the situation – is also nicely depicted, as is the loneliness of keeping his secret (and the resulting worries) to himself. The cognitive and social processes that are typical of this developmental stage are incorporated into the story in a way that I think most children this age will identify with. While the importance of family is still evident in the story, the growing desire for independence, along with an increasing awareness and emphasis of the opinions of peers that is characteristic of this age, is also included.

Rising Tide also included the therapy notes that are intended for use by teachers in schools, parents in the home, and by therapists in individual work. The therapist notes are well explained, and are designed to scaffold between home and school. They incorporate and link to competencies in the NZ curriculum so will fit in nicely with schools’ needs to demonstrate the relevance of the topics to their required teachings. The topics and tasks would be able to be delivered in a variety of settings and formats (individually as well as in groups). The activities take advantage of the cognitive and social processes of middle childhood, and mix concepts such as magical thinking with cognitive errors to create a set of tasks that will meet the needs of children across the specified age range. The emphasis for teachers and parents on managing their own emotions, and adopting and modelling the skills to children is very appropriate for this age range, and the systemic focus of identifying supports will be beneficial for all children.

The English version of the story, and the therapist notes, beautifully incorporates Maori culture, and the therapeutic notes which use the metaphor of a family Korowai (cloak) which weaves together the family values as a protective cloak is just lovely. Similarly, the idea of developing new family Kowhaiwhai builds on the idea of stories through art and that families can change their stories and commit to new ways of being.

I think this book and the resources attached to it are a wonderful addition to what we can suggest to families, schools and therapists supporting children with anxiety. If I were to offer any suggestions or constructive comments to the publishers, it would be to suggest that they highlight that the skills discussed in the therapist notes can be generalised to other emotional states, not just anxiety. When using the strategies, it would be beneficial to add in ways to encourage and teach people to calm down physical responses before they engage in cognitive strategies and accessing social supports. This is suggested in the actual story when Ari takes some deep breaths, but it would be helpful to include some specific calm breathing and relaxation techniques in the package of resources. Also, some of the language in the therapist resources is quite sophisticated – for example, ‘dominant and subjugated stories’ are terms that therapists would be very familiar with, but might be quite daunting for parents. The terms themselves are well explained; however, I would like to think that this book can be used by people with varying degrees of formal education, so I hope that some of the more ‘technical’ terms do not put people off or have them feel that they couldn’t use the strategies. Finally, the website link given on the final page of the book leads to an error message, although the resources themselves and research supporting the ideas were easy to find on The Worry Bug website, under the section “The Rising Tide”.

In conclusion, this book beautifully sets out complex psychological processes in a way that children aged 8-12 will understand and relate to. It incorporates biculturalism and key theories relevant and supported in the literature on children and anxiety – attachment theory, systems theory, narrative therapy and CBT. It also incorporates key developmental processes (both cognitive and social) in the therapeutic strategies, along with tasks that can be tailored to individual family values and beliefs. The application to both school and home would hopefully mean that children would be receiving consistent and positive messages, modelling and strategies from the key people in their lives, and if delivered in a group format, would also involve social support from peers. I will be recommending this book to people wanting to support and assist with children with mild levels of anxiety; those with distress at a higher level would benefit from having therapist coaching of the children and their parents, in order to successfully implement the strategies for children like Ari.-end.

Sarina Dickson is a Christchurch-based writer, teacher, artist and mother of three. She is passionate about the regeneration of Christchurch, education and the well being of families. Sarina co-authorsThe Worry Bug Project which produces books for children, families and schools focusing on positive classroom culture and mental health. Sarina participated as an artist in Christchurch Wild in Art event Stand Tall in 2014 and is currently working on a owl for Auckland's Wild in Art event The Big Hoot 2018.

]]><![CDATA[Reflecting on the Christchurch Fires]]>Sun, 21 May 2017 20:35:55 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/reflecting-on-the-christchurch-firesToday I was driving up Hoon Hay Road, past the All Right? signs on the power poles and looked up at the hills beyond. A picture of luminous green new growth met me. There where the fires raged just three months ago - a blanket of new green green grass is growing. The colour is almost like a cartoon it’s so fresh.

Three months ago, Sarina wrote a blog about our family camping out at her house as we worried about the fires encroaching on our home. We had self-evacuated after finding ourselves behind the cordon in a suburb surrounded with fire. That night we drove home, with her in the car to help manage the toddler (and us), and rescued our most precious things - debated about whether to take the cat - all amidst a deserted, eerily quiet neighbourhood.

As we drove out of the cordon, we looked back and saw the fires, on both sides of the suburb, making their way down the hills towards us. It was easy in the dark to see each tree or bush being consumed individually as the fire moved on. The street was lined with others doing the same - watching and waiting and speechless. It was easy also to give in to the fear that was building inside me, burgeoning out just like the flames, with no helicopters to fight it. I went back to Sarina’s house with adrenalin coursing through me, smiled robotically at the kids, “no, we left the cat, she’ll be fine”, and climbed into bed not even wanting to sleep.

My adrenalin-fuelled brain was functioning fine on the practical level - everyone had warm covers, drinks, went to the toilet, bags were stowed, children were encouraged to be polite and courteous to our hosts, their feelings were acknowledged but not reinforced, media was turned off and cuddles given; But I couldn’t think wider or deeper than that, small things bothered me, I couldn’t reflect on my actions, my emotions seemed deadened (except for fear!) it was like I was detached from myself, like my vision had narrowed and all I could cope with was what was in front of me. I’ve had this experience before when trauma has been around, looking at the world as though it was behind a screen and I was a passive though anxious observer.

This is of course, anxiety at work in my brain. You would think I would know what to do about that to reduce its effects. I did at least recognise it, I knew I was stuck behind that wall. And I did the things I needed to do to look after us - made things easier for us by agreeing to kids wishes instead of fighting them, spending money on food instead of cooking, and I found us a supportive place to be where we could be distracted by other things; I also reduced my time and their time on media watching the footage, but it was hard to resist looking out the window at the smoke and the flames. Luckily, there was a curtain to draw.

I thought it would be interesting to hear the kids’ reflections on my behaviour that night, so I asked them;…my 10 year old said “I was scared, really scared, but you said “everything is going to be all right” and that reassured me. If you hadn’t said that and acted like it was okay, I would have been even more scared.” My older girl said, “you looked worried and you acted like something serious was happening, but you weren’t panicked. So I took you seriously when you said to do things like get our stuff, but I think you got it about right, it was about the right amount of worry”.

These are the things I learned (again) about anxiety that night

-If I focus on it, I feed it, just like those flames.
-Even though it feels weirdly like we are ignoring the elephant in the room, talking about something else for a while gives some relief.
-If I look at myself in the mirror and speak to myself, it grounds me, I can get out of what is going on in my head.
-The more anxious I am, the more anxious my kids are, I can see them wind up, fight with each other and become fragile.

Looking at those green shoots I think about what it is that sustains us. For me, it is hope. Always hoping that it will be better, and usually it is - there have been times it hasn’t been, but usually hope wins. For Christchurch with trauma after trauma it is difficult to hold onto hope, we don’t want to trick ourselves and be let down again. Those green shoots luckily don’t take long to grow up, they are much quicker than consents to process and they bring hope with them.

Julie Burgess-Manning PGDip PP, MSc (FamTher), PG CertED, BA Hons (Psych)

Julie Burgess-Manning is a Family Therapist and NZ Registered Psychologist who has studied and practiced in England and throughout New Zealand. She has worked in a variety of child, adolescent and family mental health settings for the past 18 years, with roles such as Senior Clinician, Therapist, Clinical Supervisor and Primary Mental Healthcare Liaison.

]]><![CDATA[13 Less Obvious Reasons Why We’re Uncomfortable With ’13 Reasons Why’]]>Sat, 22 Apr 2017 09:14:32 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/13-less-obvious-reasons-why-were-uncomfortable-with-13-reasons-why

Parenting challenges us all, it’s a roller coaster of rites of passage into fear, pride, guilt, joy and loss. Heading into parenthood we can be sure of certain things, we know we’re going to love hard and get scared and that at times we’re going to have to deal with a lot of shit. What isn’t always so obvious is that a lot of the shit that needs dealing with is our own. When we do get a quiet moment to reflect on the job we’re doing it can get a bit uncomfortable. Our children are often a mirror to our own behaviour and the reflection shines light on the chinks in our own mental wellbeing.

Hit Netflix show ’13 Reasons Why’ is undoubtedly a hot topic. Everyone has an opinion and two clear sides are developing around whether its ok for our kids to see, or it’s not. But what if part of the real learning isn’t just for our kids but also an opportunity for us to check in with our own shit. As important as it is to discuss the show with our kids they already know the content well, it’s their lives on the screen. Perhaps we should be making sure we also discuss it with our partners, our colleagues, our friends and even our own parents.

This generation of teens didn’t invent lust, longing and the overwhelming desire to fit in but their experience comes with a lens that makes them more visible than ever before. That’s a scary and sometimes exhilarating place for them to be, but for us it can be terrifying. They are developing a knowledge base and language designed to exclude us and we’re forced to the realisation that we’ve become the people we once railed against in our teenage years.

It's instinctual for us to protect our youth when and where-ever we can but can we in good conscience shut down this conversation about the reality of their lives, and silence the voice of their experience just as its beginning to be heard? Can we really say this show needs to be censored when we sit by while they watch Game of Thrones and throw sex workers under cars in Grand Theft Auto?

Aspects of the show give mental health professionals and parents justifiable cause for concern and this shouldn’t be minimised. There are several thought provoking essays available online that discuss their perspective however there is also room for us to pause and reflect on the aspects of the show, and the conversation, that also emotionally affects us as parents.

13 Less Obvious Reasons Why We’re Uncomfortable With ’13 Reasons Why’

We’re ashamed of our own behaviour as teenagers
It’s too hard to be fully open to our teen’s pain
We’re at a loss to know how to help
It’s too painful to remember our own teenage experience
We can’t bare to imagine our own child (or ourselves) as a perpetrator
We’re modelling bullying or disrespectful behaviour on and offline
We’re afraid we’re out of touch with young people and we’re embarrassed by that
We’re struggling to cope with our loss of status with our children
Remembering our own teenage lives may mean forgiving or apologising to our own parents
We survived without the help we needed and it ‘didn’t do us any harm’
We’re hurt by their rejection of us and that reduces our empathy for them
We feel we’re losing control of teens and censoring them makes it feel like we’re gaining some back
We’re afraid to know the truth about their lives

Sarina Dickson is a teacher, author and parent in Christchurch, New Zealand. Alongside registered psychologist Julie Burgess-Manning she co-authored the six books in the Worry Bug series aimed at children, their families and teachers to support mental wellness. You can purchase the books here, and read or listen to Rising Tide or He Tai Pari here.

]]><![CDATA[Is My School or ECE Going To Receive The Funded Books?]]>Wed, 15 Mar 2017 02:12:03 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/is-my-school-or-ece-going-to-receive-the-funded-books
We're so excited about getting these books out to kids and their families and teachers. We've emailed the ECEs and Schools, and now Celeste is calling any we haven't heard back from. Below is a list of confirmed Schools and ECE in Kaikoura and Hurunui districts. If you don't see your school that doesn't mean they wont be receiving them, just that we haven't had confirmation from them yet. If you'd like to make sure they know about this opportunity you could share this article below, or direct them to this newsletter. There are some schools which we have been unable to reach via email or phone however we will keep trying and any school that hasn't been contacted is welcome to contact us theworrybug@kotukucreative.co.nz

Schools and ECE in Kaikoura and Hurunui districts that have opted in to receive the books (as at 15 March)
Amberley
Amuri
Cheviot
Greta Valley School
Hanmer Springs
Hurunui College
Kaikoura Primary
Leithfield School
Rotheram
Waiau
Waikari
Waipara
St Jospeh's Kaikoura
Polkadots
Sunflowers
Tree House
Tree Bears
Waiau Playcentre
Amberley Playcentre
Kaikoura Playcentre
Little Oaks Cheviot
Little Oaks Amberley
Barnadoes Kaikoura
Whale Tales
Amberley Community Prep
Scargill Motunau Playgroup

]]><![CDATA[Fully Funded Books For Our Friends in Kaikoura and Hurunui Districts!!]]>Mon, 27 Feb 2017 07:07:46 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/fully-funded-books-for-our-friends-in-kaikoura-and-hurunui-districtsWe're so pleased to share the news that thanks to the generosity of The Rātā Foundation we are able to offer all of our titles to schools and Early Childhood Centres in Kaikoura and Hurunui at no cost to schools or families. We're in the process of contacting schools and ECEs to offer the books and collect numbers of copies required so we can get the books up to them this term. Get in touch if you have any questions, or ask your school.

All the titles have been peer-reviewed and Massey University have been researching the efficacy of the books since they were first released in 2015, and will continue to do so, with the permission of schools and families in Kaikoura and Hurunui, they will continue their research.

"Both books are terrific resources for helping young children and families to better understand anxiety and how to deal with it. They are age-appropriate, engaging, well written, and well-illustrated. The exercises at the end of each book provide great guidelines for further exploring anxiety, its effect on us, and how to manage it more effectively. The exercises are clearly based on cognitive behaviour therapy, which if done well, has been shown to reduce anxiety. I would whole-heartedly suggest that Christchurch schools and parents make use of these great resources."
- Former Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills

"This is unmistakably a New Zealand/Aotearoa story – the use of Māori and the descriptions of what Ari notices in his rural township are so familiar. At no stage did I consider the themes in the book as having to relate to the Christchurch earthquakes. The strategies embedded in the story are useful for any young person whether they worry a lot or a little.
My daughter gave Rising Tide a solid eight out of 10. She told me it was “relatable” and that, “If I have secrets that feel really big and kinda out of control, I’d talk to someone… [like] you, nan or maybe dad.” Perfect. I couldn’t ask for anything more."
- Anna Mowat, Family Advisor at All Right?

"I hope folks are enjoying the Worry Bug and continuing to use it. I know it's easy to get busy and move onto the next thing. As a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist I am really impressed by the care and planning that has gone into the Worry Bug."
- John Gregson (Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist)

"Our children have loved the books and we have enjoyed reading and sharing and mostly talking about things! I am sorry we do not have anything to share or show but just wanted to email to say what a great idea this was and how valuable it has been for all of our families, in lots of different ways."
- Belinda-Pebbles Preschools

]]><![CDATA[Smoke and Mirrors]]>Wed, 15 Feb 2017 07:37:17 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/smoke-and-mirrors For all of us there are some smells and sounds that will always trigger strong and primitive emotions. The sound of a baby crying moves us to give comfort, the smell of our late grandmother's perfume can bring us to tears, but its not always such pleasant memories that are evoked.

Today in Christchurch the sky has been filled with smoke and there has been familiar and frightening sounds. Intermittent sirens and helicopters have cut across our consciousness all day. For me these are the sounds of the days following February 22nd 2011. Hearing them triggers fear and panic and I've fought to stay in the more reasonable part of my brain, smiling at the children, focusing on keeping my breath and voice steady. At 3pm I hid in the bathroom and cried.

I've been given the privilege of being in the position to help another family tonight by having them stay with us away from the smoke and worry further up the hill. The kids are whispering to each other on the lounge floor, distracting each other from the own worries about what is happening in the world beyond our home. My eldest spent the afternoon under her duvet on the couch letting worry wash over in her crashing waves. Being able to help our dear friends gave her the focus she needed to get a grip of her own Worry Bug, shoving him under the couch she gathered things to comfort our friends.

Earlier tonight, as darkness fell we went quickly back up the hill to gather important things from our friend's home. People lined the streets along the bottom of the hill. Some were surely just there to rubberneck, but some I'm sure had their binoculars not on the fire, but on their own homes, watching, waiting, praying that the fire doesn't touch them. The flames on hill were mesmerising, unchecked and roaring along the ridge.

Tonight we all sleep on tenterhooks, unsure of what we'll find when we wake. In the morning tempers may be shorter, eyes heavier and small people especially worried. We'll need to keep to our routines as much as possible, limit their exposure to media about the fire and answer their questions simply and with reassurance. We can let them talk about it but we shouldn't let it take over. We can offer distraction and lots of cuddles. They'll look to us to know what to do and will reflect back what they see.

Most importantly we'll need to mind our own emotions and thoughts and be aware that we will find it harder than usual to stay 'reasonable', especially if deep memories of past trauma are triggered in the coming days. We'll need to share our adult worries with other adults, seek and offer support where we can.

Kia Kaha Christchurch, sleep tight x

]]><![CDATA[Support resources for schools using Rising Tide]]>Sun, 12 Feb 2017 19:31:33 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/support-resources-for-schools-using-rising-tideDear SENCos, teachers, support staff and homeschooling parents

The learning activities in Rising Tide have been designed for students in years 5 to 8. Children in this age group are moving towards independence and are continuing to develop skills in making decisions as they become more independent. They are beginning to look to peers and media for information and advice. They are also developing an increased capability for social conscience and for abstract thought, including understanding complex issues such as poverty, war and natural disasters.

The suggested activities are designed to be worked through from beginning to end, or for you to adapt, add or omit activities to fit the needs, abilities and year level of your class. The activities help to develop a supportive classroom culture and can be used in the last 20–30 minutes of each day, or in larger blocks. It may be that you have a group of students who need extra support prior to attempting these activities. For this group we recommend using or adapting the activities in Wishes and Worries (Sarina Dickson, 2014).

We have used the concept of Home and School Scaffolding at the heart of this resource. Home and School Scaffolding utilises the trusted attachment relationships children have within their homes and schools to support them to develop their emotional intelligence. The activities for classrooms and homes have been informed by evidence-based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Narrative Therapy, and by the objectives of the New Zealand Curriculum. For more information about the evidence-based research behind the resource please see our website.

On our website you can find further support for your work with your students:
Suggested newsletter text to inform parents about the resource
A video of Heathcote Valley School sharing their use of the resource in a collaborative teaching environment
A video of a clinical psychologist and Child psychiatrist discussing some of the deeper themes of the resource
Suggestions from psychologist and resource co-creator Julie Burgess-Manning about best use
Blackline master for 'Thoughts become Behaviour' activity
Recommendations from Massey University based on their research of The Worry Bug project
Downloadable lesson plans for Rising Tide
Rising Tide to read online with full audio in english and Te reo
An invitation for your school to join in Massey University's research

We welcome your feedback

Warm regards
Sarina Dickson and Julie Burgess-Manning

]]><![CDATA[Launching! Rising Tide and He Tai Pari online (but wait, there's more, a LOT more!)]]>Tue, 31 Jan 2017 05:57:01 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/launching-rising-tide-and-he-tai-pari-online-but-wait-theres-more-a-lot-moreWe're so excited to launch the online version of Rising Tide and He Tai Pari! Visit our site to read the book in both english or Te reo, or choose to listen to them being read by Sampson Karst of Manu Media.

Check out the online and audio version of Rising Tide/He Tai Pari here

Alongside the 'read to me', or 'I'll read it' options in english and Te reo you'll find:
-Peer reviewed notes and lesson plans for teacher
-A vlog from registered psychologist and co-author Julie Burgess-Manning suggesting best use of the resource from anecdotal feedback and research conducted by Massey University
-Peer reviewed notes and exercises for families
-Peer reviewed notes and exercises for therapists
-A vlog from teachers at Heathcote Valley School demonstrating how they used Rising Tide in a collaborative teaching environment
-Vlogs from a Clinical Psychologist and Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist discussing magical thinking, catastrophising and other topics from the resource
-Information about the research being conducted by Massey University and how you could be a part of it

The development of this online resource was made possible by funding from New Zealand Red Cross.
Written by Sarina Dickson and Julie Burgess-Manning. Illustration by Jenny Cooper. Translation by Kaharau Keogh.

Want to own your own copy of Rising Tide or He Tai Pari? Click Here.

]]><![CDATA[The fabulous Heathcote Valley School shares their expertise for using Rising Tide]]>Thu, 26 Jan 2017 02:50:16 GMThttp://www.theworrybug.co.nz/blog/the-fabulous-heathcote-valley-school-shares-their-expertise-for-using-rising-tideOne of the best parts of this project is the brilliant people we meet and collaborate with. Raeleen Payton is one of those amazing educators that has a deep understanding of education and the needs of children and we're really grateful for her support. She has kindly peer reviewed both 'Wishes and Worries' and 'Rising Tide' and in the clip below she, along with Sarah Hickman, shares how they used Rising Tide in a collaborative teaching environment at Heathcote Valley School in Christchurch.

Heathcote Valley School is nestled into the base of the Port Hills, directly at the feet of Castle Rock. Approximately 250 children enjoy learning in the large whanau/family atmosphere. The TALL (Teaching and Learning for Life) Learner values, are central to Teaching and Learning at Heathcote Valley School.

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