Being there for your kids - Can You Be Worry-Free?

Episode Date: January 23, 2026

We all worry, about all sorts of stuff. Is it possible to be worry-free? It is if you learn to trade in any budding worry for curiosity. When you do that, your "what if" worry questions become "I wonder" curiosity statements. Add a potential positive outcome to your curiosity and you generate creative thinking and positive action to keep your worry at bay. Little Jonny (that's me, back in the day) thought to himself, "What if I fail this science test after all the work I've put into studying for it?"  He remembers the "I wonder" trick and asks himself, "I wonder how well I will do on the science test after all my hard work." Check out Amanda's story that follows. Blessings, Dr. Jon

Hi, I'm Dr. John Robinson, and this is Teachable Moments. Let me ask, would you like to have instant relief for any worry? As the human species, we all worry. Sometimes we don't know how to turn off the worry. We'll worry about big things. Is my daughter marrying the right person? We'll worry about small things. Do these shoes match my outfit?

We'll worry about things over which we have control. How much money should I carry with me? And about things over which we have no control. Can we have a relationship, or am I forever stuck in the friend zone? Well, what if you had access to instant relief for any worry whatsoever? I tell you, Doc, I'm driving myself crazy. Amanda combed her hand through her hair with exasperation. I can't turn it off, you know, the worry.

I can't tell anybody how worried I am about everything because, you know, then they think I'm crazy. She let out a frantic yelp to emphasize her frantic state. Amanda, look at me. I calm my voice to bring her back from the brink. Let's deal with the now. Amanda puzzled with my wording. Take slow, deep breaths for a moment. She wrinkled her nose and cocked her head. I know, just humor your shrink for a while. Amanda giggled softly, but settled back in her chair, closed her eyes, and laid her hands in her lap. She then took a deep breath. That's it, I encourage softly. breathe in deeply, pause a moment, and then breathe out slowly. Imagine breathing in calm, quiet, comfort, embracing it, and then breathing out the depleted stress, worry, and anxiety. Each breath intake gives you more calm and comfort. Now, when you feel together for a moment, open your eyes and let's talk. I concluded. When Amanda opened her eyes, she smiled at me. Feel better, less anxious? A little bit, she demurred. Okay, then, I changed.

gears. Would you mind if I gave you instant relief from all worries anytime, anywhere? That would be a great trick, Amanda laughed lightly. Bring it on. I then explained that in our brains, every worry begins with the unspoken question, what if, followed by a negative expectation. I asked her for some examples from her experience. She had many such what if questions, each ramping up her anxiety. What do you think would happen if you traded those what if questions in for I wonder statements, adding a positive expectation to your wonder. I continued. For example, you worry about buying a new dress for your friend's wedding. Your brain unconsciously questions, what if I want something I can't afford? What if questions generate anxiety and worry? I wonder statements generate calm and curiosity.

Suppose you practice turning what if statements into I wonder questions with positive outcomes I challenged. What might that be? I guess I could be curious about my circumstances and wonder where I could find a nice dress I I could afford. There you go. I clapped for her. Instead of worry and anxiety, you're feeling curious and motivated to do something creative.

So, instant relief from every worry comes when you calm yourself down and turn your what-if questions into I wonder curiosities, adding a positive outcome to motivate calming change. Amanda's story continues in my new book, The Healing Journey, Overcoming Adversity

on the Path to the Good Life. Buy your copy on Amazonbooks.com. these comments stir questions of your own, contact me through my website at www. www. thereformykids.com or email me at John Robinson 0.0. at bell-south.net. I'm Dr. Jonathan C. Robinson, licensed clinical psychologist and author of Teachable Moments Building Blocks of Christian Parenting and my new book, The Healing, The Healing, The Healing, Overcoming Adversity on the Path of the Good Life. Blessings. Teachable Moments, Building Blocks of Christian Parenting is available online at AmazonBooks.com.

and in local and national bookstores. More on Dr. Robinson at TMCP-I-N-C.com.