Phew! The children are all back at school and nursery for the last half term of the year. There are going to be lots of activities to get involved in with sports days, concerts and summer trips awaiting them. In among all the fun though, is the looming prospect of “moving up”. It might be a really significant move such as moving from nursery to “big” school or primary to high school, or it might be a seemingly more insignificant transition into the next year group. Is your child excited or fearful? How about you?
Each child’s unique temperament plays a major role in how they feel about and navigate transitions. Most children, like their parents, feel both the loss of the familiar and excitement of new possibilities. We can help them by acknowledging this ambiguity rather than insisting that the next move is faced with unbounded positivity! Learning to support our children by allowing them to express their feelings, whether positive, anxious or fluctuating somewhere in between, will enable them (and us!) to meet the challenges more authentically.
Preparation is key. No one likes to join a club where they don’t know the rules! As parents, we are in a position to do some research about what the new environment will be like. Communicating information about what to expect and practising the skills and routines that will be needed, can really help our children to feel ready for change. So whether it’s learning to get your coat on for a child starting nursery, or checking out where the bus runs from for a high school student, a safe rehearsal will help to increase confidence and allay fears. We parents may need support for our own feelings and concerns as our children transition through different stages. It’s important to acknowledge this, as we don’t want our concerns to have a negative impact on our growing children. They are need and deserve our emotional support as they move on up in the world!
