Don't Worry Doll - a new Design!

Hi there!  Well - I have been very busy lately working on a new design which I can finally show you all today!  But before I do I want to give you a bit of background on where this idea has come from.  My 9 year old daughter was told a couple of months ago that she would need minor dental surgery to remove a tooth bud from her gum (an adult tooth that has never formed) and is blocking the way of another adult tooth.  The surgery required is fairly straightforward but she will need to go under general anaesthetic for it.  It will be a day procedure and will be done at our local hospital.  This news has been very scary and worrying for her.  She has got herself so worked up, upset and worried about the idea of having surgery that this anxiety and stress is actually making her feel physically unwell.  We have been to doctors and specialists and her school has been very supportive trying to help her cope and manage this anxiety.  I never thought she would react this way and we have all been trying to work out ways to help her deal with this and get her mind off things.  She is finally talking about her feelings and worries and starting to learn to cope and deal with this anxiety.  I believe after the surgery (which is in the not too distant future) she should start to feel much better as she won't be worried about it any more.  I needed to try and help her and so I came up with the idea of making her a Don't Worry Doll.

 It's a similar idea to worry dolls (which are brightly coloured tiny dolls) and the idea with them is that you tell them your worries before you go to bed at night and when you wake up in the morning your worries will be gone.  I wanted to make a larger softie doll that she could hold, cuddle and talk to about her worries. 

I have embroidered some positive messages on the doll to help her get through this difficult time. 

 

I am going to give her this gift tonight and so fingers crossed it helps her just a little.  I think it has also been a bit of therapy for me to help me think positive too as I embroidered these messages and spent the time making the doll.  I intend to make a pattern for it shortly and will be releasing it as a downloadable file from my Etsy store.  I hope that other parents, grandparents, family and friends will be able to make these for other children that may be experiencing a difficult time and this may just give them some positive messages, some comfort and something they can tell their worries to.
Thankyou for taking the time to read this post - I know it has been a bit long!
Happy Sewing!
Jody