Providing Security in the Midst of Change
This is a contributor piece I wrote for Portland Mom's Blog. Read the full article HERE
The tears most readily appear at bedtime. The nighttime routine of tickling backs and saying our prayers often opens up a safe place to voice the suppressed rumblings deep inside. This past year has been full of transition for our family, and the next month promises more of the same. After just less than a year in our home, we are uprooting and moving once more. Another new house, new school, and new friends. New things can be exciting, but sometimes our hearts ache for the old and the familiar. We are gearing up as a family to tackle this challenging adventure head on. We aim to put into practice the tools we discovered through trial and error this last round. Here are five tips we’ve found to be helpful in providing security in the midst of change.
1. Bring Them into the Discussion
GI Joe once said that “knowing is half the battle.” And I agree with him. As our family is on the cusp of change once again, bringing our kids into the conversation about what we do know has proven to be an opportunity for connection. We have found that including them in the discussion about the impending transition provides a place for them to voice their hopes, fears and questions. Although many of the specifics are still blurry, partnering with our kids in the process of finding a house and searching out neighborhoods has created a bond of security in the midst of change.
2. Dream and Plan
Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision the people perish.” Our family has taken hold of this truth. It is tucked it in our hearts and declared from our mouths. This new season of life is full of hope and new opportunities. My husband is excelling in a job that is literally the fulfillment of a dream, and I am going back to school to begin my masters degree. As our kids see their parents step out with vision and dream about a life of new possibilities, the voice of limitation gets quieter. Casting vision and dreaming as a family about the future provides security in the midst of change.
Continue reading the entire article over at Portland Mom's Blog