CHANGE
Change can be scary when you focus on all the negative things that it can bring. But what if you focus on the positive? Gulliver and Emmet learn that ‘Bendy thinking’ can help decrease their worries about a new teacher- maybe it won’t be so bad after all.
Change
- Children pick up on their parent’s anxieties- if you are anxious about a situation, your children might feel the need to be anxious too!
- Transition can be stressful for everyone- especially for a child who is not in control of their world yet.
- Children need to learn to cope with their anxieties- comfort, encourage and support.
- Prepare your child by talking about changes that are coming.
- Routines are important- an established routine leading up to a change or transition can often eleviate extra stress.
- Be calm and consistent- a firm exit ritual can be reassuring.
Remember to Listen!
Sometimes, children try to tell us why they are upset but we are so busy guessing we forget to listen.
Parents
Watch the video below first, then watch the Change video as a family!
Tips:
- Write out your daily routine and post it.
- When a change happens provide a simple dot or picture your child can stick over that place in the schedule so they visually know things will be different.
- Think out loud for your children so they understand how your thinking process can work. These simple demonstrations are powerful tools for children to learn by your modelling.
- Make opportunities for change. For example if you usually do school work at 9am, make a change and go outside and dig for worms blow bubbles or play Lego. Something your own child enjoys.
Activity:
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Bendy Thinking Game – Everyone bends one way. Somebody explains a scenario from a negative angle (We can’t hang out with our friends because we have to stay in the house. It takes us 6 hours to get to the cottage- our trip got delayed).
The first person who can think of a positive way of looking at the problem bends the other way and explains their way of looking at it to the group (We get more time in our house to spend with our family and play with our toys – once we get to the cottage we can swim and have bonfires – we can all spend more time planning for our next trip).