I introduced my daughter to worry dolls. Here is what she whispered to them.

The worries go into their heads and tummies

Years ago, before I ever had children, someone gifted me a tiny box of worry dolls. The dolls are about a half-inch tall and intricately dressed. The idea is that you whisper your worries to the dolls each night and put the box under your pillow. The next morning, the dolls have made your worries disappear.

These dolls have been in my panty drawer for the last five years. So the night before her first day of preschool, I passed down the box to my daughter, who was nervous about making friends and using the bathroom at her new school.

“These are worry dolls,” I told her. “You can tell them what you’re worried about, and they’ll make the worries go away while you sleep.”

My daughter, who is three, looked at each doll individually and placed them carefully back into the box. She thought for a very long time.

Then she asked: “So what are they worried about?”

They aren’t worried. They listen to your worries and then make your worries disappear.

After a few more times of explaining the process, she took the box into her bedroom and began whispering her worries into the box.

“I’m worried about poopin’ in the potty.”

“I’m worried I can’t draw. I’m worried I can only paint.”

“I’m worried if I’m in the bathtub, I can’t hold my snuggle.”

“I’m worried other houses are not in Indiana.”

I mostly pretended not to listen, but I had to ask. Why are you worried other houses aren’t in Indiana? What do you mean by that?

She explained she was worried Keke didn’t live next door to us. Keke is a close family friend who is like a second mother to my daughter (and to me). She lives in Iowa. We live in Indiana. That makes sense. Other houses are not in Indiana.

We had a tearful moment, and then I encouraged her to put the dolls under her pillow.

“Why do I have to put them under my pillow?”

Because the dolls need to be close to your head, where your worries are.

“So the worries go into their heads and their tummies?”

Yes, that’s right. Your worries go into their heads and their tummies.

“Mommy?”

Yes, baby?

“I need to poop. Can you put a diaper on me?”

Why don’t we try going in the potty this time?

“Well, don’t worry, Mommy. Because if you’re worried about me pooping in a diaper, you can just tell the dolls.”