What is a transition?
A transition is the process of moving from one event to another. They are temporary. They can also be maddening for children and grown ups.
Why should we pay attention to transitions?
Because it’s during moments of transition that we as parents run into the most trouble or opposition. Read through this list of examples to see if you or your child have the hardest times during these moments.
Examples of transitions:
Getting in and out of the car
Waking up
Going to bed
Sitting down to dinner
Getting dressed
Diaper change
Friends coming over
Friends leaving
Arriving at the store
Leaving the park
Changing clothes
Settling into being at home after school
School year to summer break
Being asked to stop reading when you’re engrossed in a book
Watching tv to shutting it off
Commute to work
Going into work & settling in for the day
Coming home from work
Pick up from daycare
That time after lunch
Nap time (going to sleep and waking up)
Bath time (getting in and out)
Subject to subject in the classroom
Yup, there’s a few zingers in there for sure. Transitions are challenging for many people. It’s not something many of us have been taught to think about or pay attention to, but how we handle transitions, model transition, and/or guide our children through transitions is a life lesson they will carry with them always.
If you’re seeing unbecoming behaviors around transitions, it might be time to focus on how to ease these temporary moments, learn how to make them quicker and painless, and really take a look at how YOU as a parent do or don’t handle transition.
This month’s mantra: “And that’s okay.”
One of the things we’re going to work on as parents this month is being okay with transitions. We are the ones who know what is happening next. And what is happening next is okay. We have to get a bath. We have to sit down at the table. We have to go shopping, run errands, come home from school, get picked up from daycare, etc. These things have to happen…and that’s okay.
For example, you and your toddler arrive at the grocery store. You shut off the engine and glance in the mirror with trepidation. Here we go again. Johnny Junior is notorious for not listening in the parking lot. He’s a runner. You fret. You prepare for the worst.
That transition from the car to the store feels so stressful.
But what if we made could erase some of the stress of that moment? What if we could work through that transition from the car to the store without worrying? Are there things we could do to make it easier on us (& Johnny) and also safer? Could we get rid of some of that anxiety? Absolutely!
We are the adults in any given situation who can see it for what it is: temporary and necessary. We need to go into the store to buy groceries…and that’s okay. We need to be safe in the parking lot…and that’s okay. We need to not run away from mommy…and that’s okay. We need to take a bath before bed…and that’s okay. The more at ease we are, the more calmly and confidently guide our children into the next moment, the better.
But if we’ve never learned to recognize transitions or our role as a guide for our children during them, how can we be expected to be graceful during those moments? No worries. This month’s guided journal prompts are all about providing you with the tools and thoughts to help you with transitions.
June’s guided journal prompts will be broken down by weeks:
Week 1: Observe Yourself
Week 2: Observe Your Children
Week 3: Research Transitions
Week 4: Your Family (Grace and Forgiveness)
Choose Your Goals:
Kind of like “choose your own adventure” for parents. What do YOU hope to accomplish or learn this month? Pick from this list or create your own:
* Learn how to help your children transition
* Be able to identify each individual child’s needs during transitions
* Help yourself transition more smoothly
* Help your children transition more smoothly
* Model a better attitude during transitions
* Be able to identify transitions as they are happening
* Identify your own troubles with transition and use that knowledge to help you empathize with your child during transitions
* Become genuinely okay with transitions
* Actively take on the role of guide for your children during transitions
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