(image credit: Shelley the Artist/ E Segall)
What an exciting moment! A huge thank you to my fellow mental health blogger Mandy Kloppers from the Thoughts of Life and Love blog for featuring my piece about why I created Arabella and the Worry Cloud. This book aims to support children grappling with anxiety, a common issue for many young ones. Similar to me, Shelley illustrated the book with the same mission in mind. Growing up, I faced numerous worries, and I certainly had my own version of a Worry Cloud!
As a child and into my teenage years, I experienced a lot of anxiety. Being an empath and a natural worrier, I could easily sense when something was off. This often resulted in separation anxiety, which manifested as nausea while at school. Children experiencing anxiety require a sense of safety, comfort, and, most importantly, the support and understanding of their parents, caregivers, and teachers.
I penned my first picture book for children, Arabella and the Worry Cloud, back in 2019, and it was published last year. The story is inspired by my own experiences as a seven-year-old girl troubled by anxiety. In the story, Arabella finds herself anxious about various things: whether her socks fit, the fear of losing her shoes in a muddy puddle, the rain soaking her, the idea of a rainbow fading, the possibility of her cat Pickles going missing, the plants in her garden wilting, losing her homework, failing tests, and even being swept away by the wind. These worries are represented visually by a Worry Cloud that descends from the sky, threatening to rain down all of her anxieties.
Ultimately, Arabella discovers that by replacing her worries with cheerful and sunny thoughts, she can push away the Worry Cloud with beams of positivity. She unlocks joyful memories shared with her family, which empowers her to confront the Worry Cloud confidently, allowing it to drift away and leave her in tranquility.
Many children will relate to their own version of a Worry Cloud.
(image credit: Shelley the Artist/ E Segall)
Check out the complete blog here to learn about how my personal experiences shaped the writing of Arabella and how it can benefit you:
Arabella and the Worry Cloud is now available on Amazon, suitable for children aged 4-8 years.