I think it is easy to forget that children are real people too. They have emotions and fears just like the rest of us, but since they are still learning to communicate, we sometimes do not know what they are feeling. It is easy for me to verbalize when I am angry, upset, or scared (and why), but it is harder for my children to do so. Most of the time, the only indication I have that they are feeling bad is when they burst into tears. When I ask “what is wrong?”, I do not get any kind of verbal response other than more tears.
My children are still fairly young, so I understand that tears are their best way of communication at this time, but for older children, there is a great toy that helps them get out their emotions in a safe way.
Worry Eaters are soft plush animals with zippered mouths to “eat up” children’s worries.
The idea behind Worry Eaters is simple – all children have to do is write down or draw their fears or concerns, and feed them to the Worry Eater. It is an easy way for children to get their emotions out, especially if they have trouble communicating. In a way, there is someone they can “talk” to and make them feel better. Parents can then look at the paper later to get a better idea of what their children are feeling.
There are Worry Eater several characters available – eight large ones (ranging in size from 11″ to 16″ tall) and four small ones (ranging in size from 8″ to 10″ tall). The characters include Saggo Large, Saggo Small, Schnulli Large, Schnulli Small, Polli Large, Polli Small, Enno Large, Enno Small, Betti, Bill, Flint, and Flamm. All of the Worry Eaters are adorable with their big eyes, colorful stripes, and horns or pointy ears.
We received Saggo Small and Polli Small. Saggo is orange and white striped, with orange arms and feet and five striped rounded horns. Polli is pink and cream striped, with pink arms, feet, and curled horns. Each Worry Eater comes with a tag explaining how it works:
“Hi! Afraid of the dark? Homework problems? Trouble with friends? Whatever is bothering you – I’m here to help! Just write or draw your worries on a piece of paper, feed them to me, and zip me up. I’ll hold onto them so you don’t have to. Together we’ll get through it!”
Again, my children are young so they do not have the same types of problems with friends, school, etc. that older children may have, but that does not mean they don’t have any concerns of their own. We have been struggling for over a year to get my oldest daughter to sleep in her bed by herself. Once asleep, she is fine and will sleep all night, but the challenge is getting her in bed and asleep without one of us laying with her. I thought a Worry Eater would be helpful because in expressing her concerns in writing (fear of the dark, not wanting to fall asleep alone), we would be acknowledging those concerns, instead of brushing them off. We could then “feed” her concerns to the Worry Eater to show her that he can help. I know it will not be instantaneous, but I think it has helped her some in realizing that she is okay sleeping in her bed by herself. She is also excited to sleep with the Worry Eater next to her. And I know the Worry Eaters will come in handy as they get older too.
Maybe Worry Eaters will not completely get rid of your children’s worries, but at least they help get children talking about them. That is an important first step in helping parents understand what their children are feeling, so they are able to better handle what is going on in their children’s lives. Worry Eaters have also earned a number of awards:
- Parents Magazine Best Toys 2015 List
- Parents’ Choice Foundation Recommended Seal
- Toy Insider’s Hot Holiday Toys
- Creative Child Awards Plush of the Year
- The National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval
- Mom’s Choice Award – Gold
- Mr. Dad’s Seal of Approval
- NAPPA Gold Award (National Parenting Publications Awards)
- National Association of Gifted Children’s Recommended Toy Seal
- PAL Award (Play on Words recognizes products that advance language)
Worry Eaters are made by German toymaker Gerd Hahn and distributed in the U.S. by The Haywire Group. They are available for purchase from The Haywire Group or in toy stores throughout the U.S. The large Worry Eaters sell for $22.99 and small Worry Eaters sell for $15.99. They would make a great gift this holiday season – a soft plush friend for children and a helpful tool for parents in handling their children’s feelings.
Connect with The Haywire Group on
Facebook and
Twitter.
