Helping Your Child to Deal with Change
Fall marks the beginning of many new things both for our children and for us. Starting something new always means change and all of us respond to change differently. Many of us welcome it but many of us are filled with apprehension and fear. Many of your children will be starting elementary school for the very first time. Others will be starting preschool for the first time and others will be carrying on in elementary school but in a new grade with different expectations and more than likely a new teacher. Starting school or starting a new grade is exciting but also can be frightening because we don't know what to expect. Many preschoolers will be separating from us for the first time. Some children separate easily while others have a difficult time with separation and need lots of time to ease into a new situation. It's important for us to be sensitive to what our children are going through as they enter a world that is completely new to them. Remember, every child is a unique individual. I remember when my son started Grade 1 and he suddenly realized he had to be there all day. I had a week of having to coax him back into the classroom with the teacher's help. I remember him saying to me while we were standing outside the school: "Grade 1 takes too long!!" We of course got past that once he started feeling comfortable with his teacher and new friends. Prior to starting school for the first time, whether it is preschool or elementary school, it helps if children can become familiar with the building and the surrounding neighborhood before their first day. You might mark the day on a calendar for them and cross days off as the start time approaches. We need to be careful that we don't create too much of a build up nor do we want to suggest to them that they might be frightened the first day. How we respond to change and new situations teaches our children either to approach new experiences with excitement or with heightened anxiety. Some of you may be starting a new job or going back to school yourself. Fear of the unknown is usually a predominant theme in our anticipation of new beginnings, which is normal. How we respond to our fear is what's important. Do we allow it to block us from moving forward or do we allow ourselves to face it and experience the reward at the other end? Do we find ourselves dwelling on the "what if this happens or that happens" or do we approach the new situation with optimism? When it comes to change, what kind of role model do you want to be for your children. Barbara Desmarais is a Parenting and Life Coach who has worked with parents for over 16 years. She is the mother of 2 teenageres and twin adult step-sons. She coaches parents privately helping them to find solutions to their parenting challenges. She also is a workshop and conference presenter addressing topics related to parenting.
MORE RESOURCES:
New class at North Shore Yoga designed for childrenChattanooga Times Free Press, TN - 13 hours agoA children’s yoga class unravels more noisily than adult versions of this ancient Indian practice. “There are a lot of active poses,” said Claire Mooney, ... |
Something in the way he livedNewsday, NY - 9 hours agoBY ROBERT KAHN | robert.kahn@newsday.com A Hofstra University professor who studied yoga with George Harrison leads a tribute concert to the late Beatles ... |
Teacher uses yoga to inspire studentsSun-Sentinel.com, FL - 9 hours ago"Yoga is a powerful tool to help students and teachers relieve stress and gain inner strength and concentration," she said. "The sessions are brief, ... |
Yoga in a chairLouisville Courier-Journal, KY - 8 hours agoBy Darla Carter • dcarter@courier-journal.com • November 20, 2008 If the idea of getting down on the floor to strike a yoga pose makes you say, "Ouch! ... |
Ventura Harbor Village hosts outdoor yogaVentura County Reporter, CA - 11 hours agoBy Alex Wilson 11/20/2008 Yoga enthusiasts mix their routines with sunshine, ocean air and views of sailboats gliding by during a series of “Gentle Outdoor ... |
Yoga Could be DangerousKUTV, UT - 19 hours agoAt first glance, yoga may look hard, even painful. And if you are not careful, you could really hurt yourself. Studies show that yoga can help you gain ... |
Yoga - Google News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Homeopathic Nutraceutical Attend as an Alternative to Ritalin
You no longer have to use Ritalin or other stimulants to treat ADHD. You no longer have to consider anti-depressants as the alternative to stimulants.
Whos Your Daddy? How to be a Great Dad in 5 to 7 Minutes
I am a dad. I have been now for over 8 years.
Fraternal Twin Parenting Concerns
Identity and Your Fraternal TwinFor the most part, throughout this article I refer to a fraternal twin in the singular rather than the plural "twins." This is to emphasize the individuality of each twin.
Going Out to a Restaurant with Kids
Dining in a restaurant with kids can be very enervating and embarrasing. Not only that you have to desperately try and keep your wiggling toddler seated and silent, you also have to manage the disapproving looks from other (non-parent) guests.
Successful Treatment Planning for Attention Deficit Disorder - ADD ADHD
O.K.
Violence in Media
In the news, we hear and see an increasing number of reports about violence among children. This goes from rude fights on the playground to armed incidents in schools that result in injuries or even casualties.
Building Your Childs Self-Esteem
According to researchers, most children enter school with a good sense of self-esteem (at least as defined by psychologists) and yet leave high school with a poor sense of self-esteem. What happens in those years between starting school and finishing school?
If we are to define self-esteem as "having feelings of worth or value," then people with adequate levels of self-esteem should display a sense of realistic confidence in their abilities and performance.
Tips for Keeping Packed Lunches Fun and Interesting
? Let the child choose his or her own lunch box or reusable lunch bag. Encourage the child to add decorations, too.
8 Tips To Save On Child Care Costs
Child care costs are are one of the most expensive costs associated with going back to work. Finding ways to cut down on child care costs without sacrificing quality child care is a top priority for all working parents.
Parenting Your Teenager: What Teens Say About Parents
What's hard for teenagersHaving people who don't understand you trying to control you.Parents not understanding the things you have to deal with.
Parenting Your Teenager: 6 Tips for Dealing with Bad Report Cards
One of the basic issues we need to understand is that parents and teens view school very differently. This is important because often we believe that our kids look at school the same way we do.
Got To, Get To - Change The Way Your Family Thinks
I recently heard a story that has literally changed the waythat I, and my family, think about life. The story is asfollows:There was once a high-powered woman in her 30s who ran herown company and was massively successful in business.
Getting through the School Daze
It's back to school time again. Does the thought of having to get everyone organized and out the door make you want to send for boarding school brochures? Here are a few tips to help get through that back to school daze.
Summer Survival
Summer Survival
The summer season is here and along with it comes summer vacation for the school-aged kids. Moms are now responsible for coming up with the ideas and curriculum for their children and I am the first to admit that by the summer my creative juices have just about run out.
Drinking and Driving: Will Your Child Become a Statistic?
Just two days ago, another 15-year old child was added to the overwhelming statistics of drunk-driving, related deaths. One minute, he's full of vitality and attending our local high school, the next his unsuspecting parents are identifying him in a local morgue.
The Neurology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Part One
What is Happening in the brain of children, teens, and adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?The most recent models describing what is happening in the brains of people with Attention Deficit Disorder suggest that several areas of the brain may be affected by the disorder. These impacted areas include the frontal lobes, the inhibitory mechanisms of the cortex, the limbic system, and the reticular activating system.
Watch Your Language! - How Parents Can Help Kids Help Themselves
'I felt great until I walked into the classroom - then itall went wrong!'No, this wasn't a teacher talking! It was a high schoolstudent on the day of an important exam.She needed a good grade in a particular subject to qualifyfor a place at college, so she had worked hard and psychedherself up for success.
Discipline
Discipline is a necessary part of parenting yet it makes most parents feel uncomfortable. Some of those old disciplinary phrases such as 'spare the rod and spoil the child', 'teach them a lesson' or 'set children straight' are enough to send shivers up the spine of any reasonable-minded parent.
Parenting: Blending Familes - 9 Universal Laws
The law of -ing.The law of -ing refers to a misnomer in the way we talk about this special kind of family.
Can Mineral Deficiencies Lead to Behavioral Problems in Children?
A while ago I received this story from David in England, who wrote:
I am following your work with great interest as I am trying to get more information about the subject of ADD / ADHD for a friend of mine who was put in charge of such a child at school. She was given no training for this work nor was she given any backup.
|
