Times of transition can be rough on all of us. But for the little ones, it can be particularly devastating. Whether it’s a move to a new house or changing to a new school or even dealing with new neighbors, kids will feel the change acutely.
Sometimes things have to change. “When in the course of human events…” and all that. Change happens. But for the children, it can be hard to comprehend and even harder to deal with.
For one thing, the time that you lived in a house may be only seven years to you, but to a child, it’s his whole life. He may never have known another home, church, school, or whatever. Being sensitive to your child’s perspective is paramount in creating a smooth transition.
Even though your child may have no voice in the matter, you still can involve him in some aspects of planning the change. If you’re moving because you were transferred at work, your child doesn’t have a say (neither do you, for that matter). He can’t impact whether or not you move, or where you go or when. But he can help pick out the colors for his new room. He can look online and learn about the new town, maybe pick out which restaurant you’ll try first. Giving him a chance to participate will go a long way toward getting his buy in.
Whatever changes life throws at you, if you share the process with your children and keep them informed as you go along, it will be easier for you to deal with as a family. And when things change, the one thing that your child can depend on, the one thing that he has to know he can depend on, is family.