When Kids Hate Transitions
What Fresh Hell: Parenting, Relationships, and Making Life Better, with Two Funny MomsShow Notes
Why do some kids completely fall apart when it’s time to leave the playground, get ready for school, or switch activities? We dive into why transitions are particularly difficult for some kids and what parents can do to make them easier.
Here's what we discuss in this episode:
how anxiety, ADHD, autism, and OCD can cause unique issues with transitions
reframing a child’s behavior as a "signal" to help parents focus on the underlying problem
how parents can validate emotions while still setting clear boundaries
practical strategies for helping kids transition, including verbal "previews," visual schedules and timers, and predictable routines
Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:
Our Fresh Take with Dr. Siggie Cohen
Our Fresh Take with Dr. Stacy Haynes
Katherine Martinelli for the Child Mind Institute: Why Do Kids Have Trouble With Transitions?
Claire Lerner for Psychology Today: The Trouble With Transitions
Kristine Cain for Building Bright Futures blog: Why Some Children Struggle More with Transitions Than Others
Lerner Child Development: The Trouble With Transitions: Why They Are So Hard For Some Kids And How To Help
Houston Family Therapy Associates: Why Kids Resist Transitions (and How to Help)
Lerner Child Development: How "Two-Great Choices" Prevents Power Struggles
Dr. Michael Sweeney
Visual timer for kids
Hourglass timer
Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems
What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.
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