School is Back in Session

Where does the summer go?  The carefree days of summer have left us and many of us are beginning to settle into a fall schedule. If you have or care for younger ones, you may be working to get a scheduled routine back on track.

There is no doubt that transitions can be difficult for all ages; however, the behavior of our young ones can be particularly challenging with even the smallest changes. As your family continues to transition back into the school year, keep the following tips in mind from Hand in Hand: Nurturing the Parent-Child Connection:

Children benefit from information. When you need to change an activity, it's important to talk with your child about it. Presenting the information and allowing time for the information sink in will help prevent some of the power struggles that develop around transitions.

Children flourish with a tone of optimism. A tone that carries friendliness, optimism and understanding makes it more likely that a transition will go well. Having a tone of optimism can help children feel close enough to a parent or caregiver to cooperate with a necessary transition.

Sometimes your child needs to protest. The untold story about transitions is that children sometimes need to protest. Getting upset helps children address and release unhappy feelings.

Although summer fades and the transitions are inevitable, remember to savor the adventure that continues with new fall activities and schedules. DuPage Children's Museum offers many opportunities to grow and learn in our Creativity Classes. More information is available at: dupagechildrensmuseum.org.

This blog post is also published in the August 2012 edition of Positively Naperville, a printed guide of community events, volunteer opportunities and local lore. The publication is distributed to 35,000 homeowners by the first of every month.