A.B.C. Worry Free by Noel Foy
(National Center for Youth Issues)
As people continue to deal and dig out from COVID, anxieties are still high, especially among children, That is why this book from noted neurological expert and neuroeducator Noel Foy (www.ammpe.com) is so timely (as if it ever were not in this hectic day and age).
Though she does offer helpful tips for parents and educators to help them support anxious children (and other adults), instead of offering analysis of often overwhelming data, Foy takes us into the story, the mind, and the emotions of Max, a young boy who, after being stung by a bee while playing with friends, vows never to play outside again. When his older brother teaches their dog a new trick and credits the learning to the proper attitude, Max begins to open up to new possibilities (and not just that of returning to the outdoors). Once Max is ready to try something new, his brother shares with him the easy-to-remember secrets of A.B.C. Worry Free, in which each subsequent initial stands for Accepting, Breathing, and Changing. While some of these steps may sound more complicated than others, when taken in alphabetical order, they can be easy and effective. In fact, Max can’t bee-lieve how fast the Acceptance and Change come (and neither will you)!
– Matt Robinson
