Brave Bear and the Very Busy Worry Guard
Every morning, Brave Bear and Mummy Bear got ready together.
They brushed teeth.
Packed a snack.
Had one big cuddle.
Most mornings, something else woke up too.
It wasn't a monster.
It wasn't a dragon.
It was Brave Bear's Worry Guard.
The Worry Guard was very good at its job.
It would whisper,
"What if Mummy doesn't come back?"
"What if you need her?"
"Stay close! Don't let go!"
As soon as the Worry Guard started talking, Brave Bear wanted to cling tightly to Mummy.
"I need to come to work with you," he said.
Mummy Bear didn't laugh.
She didn't tell the Worry Guard to be quiet.
Instead she smiled gently.
"Oh," she said. "Your Worry Guard has clocked in for work already this morning."
Brave Bear giggled a tiny bit.
"My Worry Guard is VERY loud."
"I can see that," said Mummy. "It must think it has a very important job—keeping you safe."
Brave Bear nodded.
"It does."
Mummy held both of Brave Bear's paws.
"The funny thing is, your Worry Guard still thinks you're little, little. It hasn't quite noticed how much you've grown."
Brave Bear thought about that.
He wasn't a tiny cub anymore.
He knew where the toilets were.
He knew how to ask for help.
He knew grown-ups at holiday club who smiled when he arrived.
Maybe...
Maybe the Worry Guard hadn't noticed.
When they reached holiday club, the Worry Guard started shouting again.
"Don't let go! Stay with Mummy!"
Brave Bear took one slow breath.
He whispered back,
"Thank you for trying to help."
Then he added,
"I've got kind grown-ups here today."
"I know Mummy comes back."
"You can have a little rest."
The Worry Guard didn't disappear.
It never did.
But it stopped shouting quite so loudly.
Brave Bear waved goodbye.
He still felt wobbly.
Sometimes brave hearts feel wobbly.
He coloured a picture.
He built a den.
He laughed at a silly game.
Every now and then the Worry Guard peeked up again.
Brave Bear would quietly say,
"I remember."
And each afternoon...
Just as she always did...
Mummy Bear came through the gate with the smile Brave Bear knew so well.
The Worry Guard looked surprised.
"Again?" it said.
"Again," smiled Brave Bear.
The next morning, the Worry Guard still came to work.
But each day it whispered a little less...
because every goodbye was teaching it the same important lesson.
Mummy always goes.
Mummy always comes back.
And Brave Bear is safe while he waits.
****
The Prompt I used was
Create a short fiction story for a 6 year old with attachment issues to help them with transitions to holiday clubs in the mornings when they don't want to leave their mummy and want to go to work with them instead. Use a therapeutic approach that would be recognised for adopted children.
Create a version for a child already familiar with the invisible string story
Comments
Post a Comment