Helping Toddlers and Preschoolers Deal With Transitions

Change can be hard for toddlers and preschoolers. Whether your child is transitioning from being an only child to having a sibling, changing childcare providers or schools, moving to a new home, or dealing with any other life change, there are steps you can take to help them deal with the transition.

When a toddler or preschooler is faced with a transition, it is important that their life stay as normal as possible in most areas. To help your child feel that not everything in his life has been turned upside down, try to keep most family routines the same. If you have moved, for instance, your child may find a familiar bedtime story comforting while adjusting to your new home. If your family is welcoming a new baby, your toddler or preschooler will find one-on-one activities that you have always enjoyed together comforting as everything else changes. Make sure that your toddler or preschooler knows that while one aspect of their life has changed, many things have remained the same.

To help your toddler or preschooler deal with a transition, warn them about the change ahead of time. If you will be moving, visit the new house and talk about what life will be like there. If your child will have a new childcare provider or school, visit ahead of time to make your child less apprehensive about the change.

Encourage your toddler or preschooler to talk about their fears when going through a transition. Children have vivid imaginations, and they can come up with things to worry about that wouldn't even cross your mind. Talk to your child and encourage them to open up to you about their fears at all stages of a transition. A toddler may not be able to verbalize their fears, but they will still need reassurance during a transition. A preschooler may easily discuss fears with you, or you may have to do some coaxing to get them to talk about what's bothering them.

Give toddlers and preschoolers time to deal with transitions. Kids are resilient, and at this age they will most likely pick up on their new routine very quickly. Give them time to get adjusted to change, and keep being understanding and supportive.

Finally, make sure that you are not causing your child to be anxious about the transition. Toddlers and preschoolers pick up on a lot more than parents give them credit for. If you are anxious about a transition, your child may be too. Watch what you say in front of your child, as something you say in passing may be taken literally and blown out of proportion by a young child.

With the right amount of love, attention, and understanding, toddlers and preschoolers can easily adjust when faced with a transition. Pay attention to how your child is feeling, and let them know their feelings are important. Change is a part of life, and toddlers and preschoolers can learn to accept it with a little help from you.