June Week 4: Applying What You’ve Learned

Show yourself some grace as you’re learning how to handle transitions better. You’ve learned a lot over the past 3 weeks and applying it plus being patient and flexible are all going to take some time and practice. Extend grace. Write yourself a note…what have you learned? What changes do you have to be proud of?

Show each other grace. Show your family some grace. Write about how you can or do extend grace to your children during transitions.

Bring your family in on your transition work. One easy way to include them is to go over the schedule as part of meal time conversations. Keep everyone in the loop. Remind everyone at dinner time what tomorrow’s schedule looks like. This can be short term (what is expected after dinner) and long term (this is what’s happening tomorrow or later in the week). Set each other up for success. Especially your children. Give it a try. Journal about their reactions, what’s working with this method, what’s not, etc.

Point out transitions. When you see one coming or one sneaks up on you, say it out loud. Point it out. Be obvious. Let everyone in on what you’re noticing (i.e. “We are having a rough transition right now. It’s feeling hard to leave the park. Give it a try. Journal about your children’s reactions to you being obvious, what’s going well, what’s not, etc.

Be forgiving during ungraceful transitions. Be the patient leader. Know that transitions are some of the most challenging spots in everyone’s day Forgive others when they don’t meet your expectations 100% of the time. Give it a try. Write about how your quickness to forgive and move on without holding a grudge does or doesn’t clear the air.

Put the markers you researched during week 3 into practice. Give it a try. Write about what works well, what doesn’t, how it helps, etc.

So there was a fight. You and your child butted heads. Or siblings got into it with each other. There is a transition from the actual fight to the time after the fight. You have to be the guide out of that funk and back to everyday life. How quickly do you move through the negativity of a fight? How do you model that shift? Think about it. Write about it.