Dealing with a Change in Routine: Building Flexibility in Children
Last Tuesday, our usual after-school routine had to change because of a dentist appointment. My 8-year-old was visibly upset. “But we always go to the park on Tuesdays!” Instead of immediately reassuring her and fixing the schedule, I remembered our family’s commitment to the Life-Ready approach. I said, “I know this feels frustrating. Sometimes routines have to change. How can we handle this?” The look of frustration mixed with growing acceptance on her face told me we had a perfect opportunity to practice handling routine changes in a low-stakes environment. ...