Preparing Kids For Change

If there is one thing that my boys have taught me it is that children can adapt to change much better than adults.  In our family, my husband and I are creatures of habit and like structure in our life.  I like knowing what lies ahead for the next day, week and even month.  I'm a planner and couldn't live without the calendar on my phone.  I use it to track driving schedules, appointments, games, menu planning as well as many other things. 

In the last week, our family made a very important decision that will affect the rest of our lives.  Many conversations were had weighing the pros and cons of the opportunity and one thing that made the decision a little easier was knowing that the boys were young enough that the affect of the change would only be temporary.  My husband accepted a new job in a nearby city and we will be moving there as soon as we can find a house to buy.  Since the younger 2 boys are too young realize the changes that lie ahead, we only had to prepare to tell our oldest.  Reggie loves to play outside especially at playgrounds, so what better to do than to take him to the playground at the new school he'll be attending.  Daddy showed him around the new school and he seemed excited when he got home.  A few days later I was talking to him about moving into a new house and he really didn't like the idea of leaving our current home. 

As a parent you cherish the place that you bring your kids home to from the hospital and all the memories that are created there and that is no different for children.  He asked a lot of questions and most were related to items around the house wondering if they would come with us.  Of course the first thing on his list was his toys.  After realizing that many things he cherished most were going with us, he warmed up to the idea of moving.  This weekend he was helping me do some painting downstairs and would randomly ask about things in his sight and whether or not they were moving with me.  He even questioned if the toilet was coming with us as he told me he liked sitting on it. 

No one of can really prepare for the upcoming changes that will occur in the next few months for our family, but one thing is for sure, our 3 little men will adjust to them way faster than their mom and dad.