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Transitions and New Beginnings – how to help your child cope!

Human life - in fact all life - is full of transition:  single to married life, tenant to home owner; primary to secondary school.  Transitions that occur during adolescence are often experienced at crucial developmental moments in their lives.  Literally, for better or for worse, the outcomes generated as a consequence of how these transitions are experienced and dealt with can often heavily impact on one’s life-path, life chances, long-term health and wellbeing …

Some of the transitions your daughter may be experiencing this year could be:

• Moving from primary school to high school
• From being the eldest to the youngest at school
• From Year 12 to work and or university
• Year 8 to 9: From coherent learning and peer groups to a more individualised pathway
• From less responsible child to increasingly responsible young adult
• The increasing emergence of sexuality; destination: a person with a ‘clearly defined sexuality’
• Experience of loss: family member, friendships, pet and, for some, childhood itself.

Some strategies:

• LISTEN but don’t always think you have to give an answer.  Be flexible, be passionate, be patient.
• Remember what it was like for you and share some of those feelings so that your child knows that what they are feeling is normal.
• Invite your child out on walks or for ice-cream – opportunities like this can encourage talking and help you help them.
• Talk to your child’s Home Room teacher.  Not only will this alert the college to any concerns you may have, but there is no doubt that this person may have some good advice too.

Until next time ...

The trouble with being a parent is that, by the time you’re experienced, you’re unemployed.