It began with a boy who worried and a teacher who needed a solution.

Aaron was an anxiety filled boy, worrying day after day about things that were stressful or he was afraid to do. I gave him a Worry Jar, where he could keep his worries. When the worry popped back in his head, he learned to say the words, “worries, worries in the jar”, instead.

Learning how to deal with anxiety is hard. However, Aaron never gave up. That boy used his Worry Jar every day. I never realized how much it changed him until…

In 2001, I was in a powered parachuting accident that left me paralyzed from the chest down. My own anxiety hit a peak, while I was in the hospital recovering and now learning to navigate life from a wheelchair. What would things look like for me in my day to day life?

That’s when something amazing happened. A Worry Jar, was sent to me. This time the student helped the teacher. With a special message, now it’s your turn to put your worries in the jar, it was my turn to use The Worry Jar. At a time I needed it the most, The Worry Jar had returned.

Simply put, The Worry Jar is a way to manage anxiety. A worry jar is a concept that has been around for a while. However, the story of The Worry Jar and the character in the story, are one of a kind.

I wrote The Worry Jar (a 32 page, color ,picture book) to use with younger children ages 4-8. The Worry Jar is the main character in the book. Throughout the book, it helps three children confront things in which they are afraid or worried. The children learn how to use The Worry Jar and the words, "worries, "worries in the jar" to help them stay calm.

This Worry Jar matches the book The Worry Jar. The jar is a place for kids to keep their worries, so they do not have to think about them. It stands 7”, made of plastic, with a plastic lid. The label can be reversed for kids to design their own look.