The Worry Wipers
How to Help Your Child Erase Anxiety and Take Charge
Have you ever watched your child carry a worry that feels too big for their small shoulders?
Maybe they’re frozen before a math test, or replaying a “sticky thought” about something a friend said on the playground.
As parents, our instinct is to jump in and fix it, or tell them not to worry.
But what if the goal isn’t to fix the situation?
What if the goal is to help our children learn how to handle their thoughts?
At Junior Mind Masters, we believe something truly powerful:
Kids don’t need to control life to feel okay.
They need tools to understand themselves.
One of the most important truths we can teach our children is this:
They are the thinker.
They are the boss of their brain.
And just because a thought pops in doesn’t mean it has to stay.
Many of those thoughts are unnecessary worries, thoughts that serve no purpose other than to keep us in a state of unease.
The goal is to figure out which worries need to go.
The Worry Wipers
To help with this, I want to introduce a simple tool: The Worry Wipers.
This tool teaches one powerful idea:
🌳 If you can’t control it, you don’t need to carry it.
How to Use the Worry Wipers
This process helps kids sort their thoughts, let go of what they can’t control, and take action on what they can.
Step 1: The Worry Dump
Start by getting everything out of your child’s head.
Have them write down every worry, big or small.
No filtering. No judgment.
“I might fail my math test.”
“What if it rains during my birthday party?”
“My teacher might not like my essay.”
Step 2: Sort It Out
Now separate the worries into two simple categories:
In My Hands – things I can do something about
Out of My Hands – things I cannot control
Help your child sort each worry into one of these columns.
In My Hands (The Fix-It Zone):
“I might fail my test” → I can study tonight
“It might rain during my birthday party” → I can make a backup plan
“I won’t wake up on time” → I can set an alarm
Out of My Hands (The Release-It Zone):
What other people think
The weather
Other people’s health
Which teacher you get
What someone says about you
Remind your child:
🌳 If you can’t control it, you don’t need to carry it.
Step 3: The Wipe Away
Now comes the powerful part, the physical release.
Take each “Out of My Hands” worry and write it on a Worry Wipe Board (a simple dry-erase board works perfectly).
Then let your child erase it.
Watch it disappear.
This gives their brain a reset. As they erase, have them say, “I let go of what I can’t control.”
Step 4: Make a Power Plan
Now we focus only on what we can do.
Go back to the “In My Hands” worries and ask:
Why is this worrying you?
What can you do about it?
Then create a simple plan:
If this happens… then I will…
Example:
If I’m worried about my math test, then I will practice for 10 minutes and ask for help.
This shifts your child from:
worry → action
You can download the Worry Wipers worksheet here to guide you through the process.
Final Message to Your Child
When your worries feel heavy, remember the Mind Master way:
🌳 Write it down
🌳 Sort it out
🌳 Let it go
🌳 Take action
The thoughts we write down and erase lose their power.
Let’s teach our kids that they are the boss of their brain.
Next time your child is stuck in a worry loop, grab a Worry Wipe Board and go through the process together.
Better yet, do your own Worry Dump alongside them. Show them this isn’t just a kid tool.
It’s a life skill.