There are so many transitions in children’s life. Those changes often give them a hard time. But most parents assume that the kids will just go with the flow and automatically become used to the changes. But that is farther from the truth. It is not as natural as parents think. Kids often find it challenging to deal with any transition. Yes, new things can be exciting for them. But it can also become potentially terrifying at some level. Thus, parents need to teach and help children cope with the changes in their lives. But how can they do that? What are the necessary skills they need to learn to allow smoother transitions?
Source: pexels.com
What Does Change Signify To Children?
There are tons of situations where kids experience change. These situations are processed differently depending on the emotional, physical, and mental ability of the kids. The children know that sooner or later, they will have to deal with it no matter what. However, the majority of kids are scared of things they do not know. Yes, they understand what change can do to them and how it can affect their lives. But not all children are strong enough to handle it. Thus, change for them is something they want and don’t want at the same time.
How To Introduce Kids To The Idea Of Change
Honestly, parents are not that aware of how much they force their children into dealing with change. Parents often have this ideology and scheme in their minds that convince them that things are okay once they create a plan. Parents assume that when they envision a way to persuade kids to change, it all sets there. However, that particular mentality complicates everything in the process. When parents do not inform the kids about what they want and immediately go ahead and enforce it, it results in overwhelming feelings. The children begin to build a barrier because they feel afraid to lose predictability.
Source: pexels.com
What Is The Children’s Basic Struggle When It Comes To Change?
The one problem with “change” is that there are no operating rules for children to follow yet. So part of that difficulty is when children think about the possibility of failure. Kids often feel scared of trying and revealing adequacies. Thus, the children become less confident and competent because they somehow knew things would not go the way they like. Kids don’t like change because they cannot control it regardless of how small and big it may be. Children live in the moment, so when parents try and yank them out of a particular routine, it becomes hard for them.
What Determines How Well Children Can Cope With Change?
It all depends on the situation. But mostly, when kids are stressed and anxious to a large degree, it is not entirely easy for them to understand the needs of life transitions. Kids have the ability to over-focus on things they like. So it becomes hard for them to let go of something because they are already used to it. It is normal for them to get stuck. Fortunately, parents can know if children are capable of handling unexpected situations. Usually, it will start with a lot of confusion. Kids will begin to ask questions, and soon they will try and internalize the situation. From that moment on, they will start to adapt slowly and eagerly.
Source: pexels.com
What Makes Change Complicated For Children?
Naturally, children can deal with a change like every adult does, provided that they are well-informed of the consequences of their actions. Sometimes, they do not need their parents’ guidance for that. But in some unfortunate situations, the children struggle a lot when their parents are the ones who can’t deal with the transitions. It becomes much challenging for the kids to deal with life when they see their parents struggling and getting stuck on theirs.
How Children And Parents Struggle In Transition
Everything about the children’s life transition has something to do with parenting. Transitioning is not just the children’s responsibility, but the parents battle as well. It requires emotional, physical, and mental strength. Parents need to get into the kids’ world and understand what makes them do what they do. Child counseling professionals suggest that parents need to avoid forcing their children into things they are not aware of because it only increases their anxiety.
Source: pexels.com
Children are looking for a solution to a problem. They know they cannot control everything and that they need to rely on their parents’ assistance to get through their life transitions. Thus, it is essential that parents prepare their kids for the many challenging things they will inevitably have to face. They need to start by understanding their kids’ capability, slowly introducing them to different things, and be with them all the way through the process.