Transitions and expectations are like peanut butter and jelly — they can be okay’ on their own, but they work great when they’re used together! Dealing with transitions in life is part of our everyday reality, but for kids who have experienced trauma, they can be especially challenging.
While going from school pickup to home might feel like no big deal to you, navigating transitions for children can be way more upsetting and stressful. If we do not set our children up for success before moving from one event to the next, transitions can easily cause our kids to have meltdowns.
Fortunately, it’s easy to teach your child about navigating emotions in life. Read on to learn the simple steps you can take to help your child with navigating transitions as seamlessly as possible.
Preparation for Navigating Transitions
Imagine you’re a child, and you’re spending a fun afternoon playing in a sandbox at your grandma’s house. You’ve spent your time building sandcastles and sifting for gold in the powder. You’re having the time of your life when, suddenly, your parents tell you to put your toys away because you need to leave now.
Suddenly, this carefree child is now headed toward a meltdown — and it’s not his fault. As a caretaker, one of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to navigating transitions is the fact that your child needs to be set up for success.
This means he needs ample time to process and prepare for a transition. When you tell your child he needs to immediately stop doing something and pivot to another, this is most likely when transitions become triggers.
When dealing with transitions in life, here are three tips to help your children move from one activity to another without having a meltdown.
1. Plan Activities Together Ahead of Time
A lot of times, our children experience meltdowns during transitions because change comes abruptly. Just like us, when our kids have to deal with last-minute changes to their routines, they can easily become frazzled.
To avoid this, plan transitions with your children in advance. That way, they feel like they have a say in their schedule and know what to expect for the day.
For example, if you usually come directly home after picking up your children but need to go to the grocery store today, communicate this in advance. That way, they know what to expect when their routine is disrupted.
2. Communicate Changes
As adults, it can be easy to forget that we should communicate schedule changes with our kids. While we don’t need their approval or permission to change our plans, we do owe our children the courtesy of letting them know their plans will change.
This is one of the best things you can do when navigating transitions with your children — especially if they’re prone to having meltdowns when their schedule changes. By communicating changes, you show them respect and communicate that you want them to be comfortable with your plans.
Even if the transition is disappointing, like having to leave a playdate early, we’re able to reduce the likelihood of our kids having meltdowns if we clearly explain schedule changes and transitions.
3. Be Specific with Your Time Frame
Another easy way to help your kids with navigating emotions during transitions is by giving them a clear time frame for when you plan on leaving one place or activity to head to another.
Think back to that scenario at grandma’s house we described earlier. Once again, you’re the child playing in the sandbox. Imagine this time, instead of telling you to leave immediately, your parents tell you to start finishing your game because you’re leaving in thirty minutes. Then, every 10 minutes, they give you an update and remind you how much time you have left to play. Finally, when it’s time to go, you’re ready to leave the sandbox and head out on your next adventure.
Giving our kids a clear time frame for when transitions will happen helps ensure they’re able to prepare physically and emotionally for the change.
Navigating Transitions
Dealing with transitions in life can be challenging for toddlers, children, teens — and even adults. Whether big or small, change can be difficult. Use these tips for bedtime, heading into a new grade in school or moving from state to state so you can help your child transition from one situation to the next with minimal meltdowns.
KEY TAKEAWAY
As caretakers, we have the power to help our kids with navigating transitions. Using these three simple tips, we can provide our children with the information and support they need to transition from one activity to the next without having a meltdown.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” ~ Psalm 32:8 (NIV)
APPLICATION
If your child struggles with transitioning out of playtime, make cleanup a game with Tornado Tidy-Up. Work with your child to tidy their toys as quickly as possible while teaching them about all the support and help God provides us each day.
Find it now in the Everyday MomentsTM activities collection!
