Worry Dolls originated with the Ancient Maya. It is believed that they were created from scraps left over from weaving and from pieces of wood. The bags were considered to have magical properties. They held the tiny hand-made dolls instead fetishes.

Legend says that children (and adults too!) should share their problems with the colorfully decorated worry dolls before going to bed. The dolls should be placed beneath the child’s pillow. The dolls will remove those worries while the children sleep.

Worry Dolls have been used by children who are anxious or have been hospitalized or traumatized.

To Make Worry dolls:

Time needed 1 hour, parent supervision recommended for cutting and detail work

Craft knife or Scissors

Fine sand paper

Straight Clothes pins or Craft sticks

Toothpicks

Fabric scraps of your choice

Yarn s of your choice (for hair)

Floss, decorative wire and beads

Markers for the face

Wire or pipe cleaners

Glue

1)      Cut the ends of the toothpicks off and file smooth with sand paper.

2)      Position below “head” and glue in place. Let dry.

3)      Make the hair piece. Glue together on to the top of the clothespin or craft stick. Let dry.

4)      Fashion clothing out of fabric, cutting and gluing as you choose. Extra ornamentation can be added with  decorative floss and beads. Let dry.

5)      If desired, design and add wire jewelry.

6)      Draw faces on doll, the happier the better.

Judy M. Miller lives in the Midwest with her husband and four children. Her essays and articles appear in parenting and adoption magazines. “Souls Speak,” is featured in A Cup of Comfort for Adoptive Families (Adams Media). “I Can’t Be Loved” is included in the upcoming Pieces of Me: Who Do I Want to Be? (EMK Press). “The Chest” will be in the upcoming Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks Mom. She blogs at The International Mom’s Blog.

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It is usually not about planning games and entertaining kids and kids often fall to the wayside, get pushed out of the kitchen and shoved in front of the television or thrown in front of the uncles for wrestling.

So, what can you do to prevent meltdowns and boredom?

1. Keep to a routine no matter where you are. Even if you are at grandma’s and grandpa’s house five hours away (and a different time zone) stick to the same nap-times, bedtimes, and mealtimes. If relatives don’t understand the need for schedules kindly excuse yourselves to a quiet place.

2. Pack your own medications and make sure you have refills if you are traveling.

3. While adults are making dinner engage children in fun crafts like place-card holders, coloring pages that can double as place-mats, or centerpieces like this pine-cone wreath.

4. Have one adult moderate children and have them work on a skit/play like this one.

5. For movement sensitive children include activities like jumping jacks, yoga, somersaults, wall push-ups, shaking the sillies out, and even indoor obstacle courses if possible. We have a trampoline, an indoor swing, obstacle cones, tunnels, tents, etc.

6. Have a brand new movie on hand for an emergency (or a brand new game).

7. Send children on a treasure hunt for a Thanksgiving Goodie Bag.

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• Guatemalan Worry Dolls
• 13 Things for which to be Thankful
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