Coping with change is difficult, especially if you are a 7-year old little boy who doesn’t understand life and, who doesn’t really want to grow up. This is my little boy…..the first child I’ve ever met that doesn’t really want to grow up, because when he grows up things will change. (his words) So, how do you teach your child to cope and accept change? Is this a coping skill he must just learn on his own as life goes on, or are there real things you can teach him?
The above paragraph I wrote about 3 years ago. Unfortunately, this was also the last time I’ve written anything in my ‘Life Zone’ blog. Life started, I got busy with ‘other’ things and I just didn’t have time / make time to write anymore. I’m not a good writer at all, but I like to put what is on my mind on paper. This is my way of processing things in order to figure it out and make sense of it.
We now find ourselves in a time of tremendous change and this question popped up in my mind again. The one thing that I’ve learned during this Covid-19 lock down period, is how easy it is to learn new skills or just rekindle old passions. As a child I always loved drawing and I started painting and drawing again. For some color-love please visit my Instagram page @tlgs.studio (The Little Green Shop)
So, to get back to coping with change. I’ve done a little bit of research and the one certainty that I could find is that, in live, everything will always change. We don’t have control over it, but what we can control is how to deal with the change and how to learn form the change. I’m a very organized person, who loves making lists and can very quickly think of the next arty / crafty thing I must / can do – I totally respect that everybody isn’t like that and for some people dealing with change can be difficult. So, how do you deal with change?
Firstly, realize that you feel stressed about the change that is happening in your live. Change and stress always go hand-in-hand. For a very young 7-year old this can be difficult, so I taught my children that whenever they are sad for a long time (day or more) or if they don’t feel well in the stomach that the first thing they must do is come and tell either myself or their Dad. They might not yet know what is stress, but they do know when they are sad about something.
Secondly, realize that all change aren’t necessarily bad, but it will always be accompanied by stress. Hence, the reason why self-knowledge / knowing yourself is so important. Know how you will react or feel during certain situations.
“TAKE LIFE DAY BY DAY AND BE GRATEFUL FOR THE LITTLE THINGS. DON’T GET CAUGHT UP IN WHAT YOU CAN’T CONTROL. ACCEPT IT AND MAKE THE BEST OF IT”
Life Zone 