The ILADO Worry Eater Cuddly Toy encourages children to express their worries and to let go of them in a fun and healthy way:
- Before going to bed, have your child tell you about his or her fears, sorrows or nightmares and then write them down on a slip of paper.
- Together, place it into the Worry Eater's mouth and tie the ribbons while saying these magic words: “My Doudou, I entrust to you this little sorrow, which thanks to you, Abracadabra, will be gone tomorrow. Thank you and good night”.
- The next morning, the slip of paper will have magically vanished, taking your child's worries with it.
This ritual can also be performed during the day to help your little one identify and let go of his or her negative feelings, sadness or anger.
This cuddly toy is inspired by a traditional Guatemalan legend: when children are scared or have nightmares, they tell their fears to worry dolls before putting them under their pillow. In the morning, when the child wakes up, the worries are gone.