Parenting: Parenthood and Transitional Seasons

Parenthood

and Transitional Seasons

By Rosalind Prather

LIKE THE SEASONS CHANGE from summer to fall and then winter, it seems our children change just as frequently. From serving to leading and then mentoring and friendship, every developmental milestone requires new tools and we, as parents, are often just mastering the last plateau when a new summit is placed in front of us. What tools can parents use to survive and thrive in the never-ending experience of adapting as we raise our children?

We solicited some expert advice on the topic from busy working mom and co-founder of Trusting Connections and Timeless Play, Rosalind Prather. She joined us to share her thoughts on transitions happening right in her own home and her top 8 tips for moving through one of life’s most profound terrains, the transitions of parenthood, with grace.

There is always that day of the year in September or early October when you open the door and can just feel a change in the air. There’s a crispness to it. You can breathe in and smell and sense the changing seasons. It requires a silent pause, to acknowledge that it’s time to say goodbye to summer and welcome fall. There’s always a bittersweetness to it; a sadness for the memories being forever left behind and an excitement for everything the cooling weather brings - boots and Pumpkin Spice Lattes and the anticipation of another magical holiday season.

The same feeling of transition happened to me on a lazy summer day smack dab in the middle of June while I was scrubbing a grilled cheese pan. But this time it wasn’t the weather. My oldest daughter who became “double digits” in the spring was having an epically emotional meltdown that was reminiscent of the toddler years. And then, a multitude of realizations flashed before my eyes. This had been going on for months. My “practically-perfect-in-every-way” ray of sunshine was different . . . the moodiness, the irritability, the sassiness. And then it hit me. We were entering a very new season.

This year feels different for me as a mom just like that first day in

fall. I’m sensing and feeling everything start to shift and change away from what I have spent the last decade growing accustomed to. It’s like a new gentle wind is blowing in and slowly but surely transforming my little family. And, I’m not ready to say goodbye.

Overnight my little girls became big girls. Nightly Berenstain Bears stories read together snuggled up became “girls, did you read at least a chapter of your book?” Little feet excitedly running into my room to wake me up too early turned into independent little ladies feeding themselves and quietly turning on the TV. “Play with me mommy,” isn’t uttered anymore. Cleaning out the playroom haunts me a little. It seems like Polly Pockets and Barbies and Calico Critters became totally irrelevant in the blink of an eye. I still have useless little plastic cups and spoons and divider plates and flash cards we were going to get to but never did. Somehow, they learned all those sight words anyway. But when? Where did the time go? And why does it have to move so fast?

It reminds me that I can’t get too comfy (or too exasperated) with any one stage because parenting is simply a series of seasons that relentlessly come and go. And they come and go. So, I try to find joy in the season I’m in because it’s just one quick stop on the journey of motherhood. And chances are, I’m going to miss it.

Tips

• Write down your limits in a contract format. • Regain your leadership role. Your child should not control the mood of your household. • Establish a written daily routine and place it where the entire family can see it. This structure will be the guardrails your child needs to feel secure. • Create a bedtime for both you and your child. • Prepare for sick days. They are going to happen. Thinking they will not show up is simply living in denial. Have a plan so that the sick day does not disrupt the system as much as it could. • Make changes slowly. Don’t wait until the day before kindergarten starts to begin weaning the nap schedule and moving bedtime earlier. • Set an example, practice self-care. • Patience is key. Kids aren’t going to learn to make new transitions unless they have consistent practice – sometimes for many days (or weeks).

It is critical to remember that transitioning well between what is known to what is new is hard for everyone, adults and children alike. Set yourself and your family up for success by accepting that change is inevitable and striving toward desired outcomes as a team.

If you decide to look for in-home care, Trusting Connections can help. They offer a wide range of services- from part-time, or occasional sitters to short-term summer nanny placements. If, after your consult, hiring a nanny is not the right fit, parents in the Tucson area can also consider enrolling their children ages 1-12 at Timeless Play, a reimagined drop-off childcare center at the River and Campell intersection in Tucson, AZ.

Rosalind Prather is a third-generation small business owner and momtrepreneur. She is a Trusting Connections Nanny Agency Co-Founder and Logistigal, LLC Co-Founder. She the proud mother of two girls. She is married to Bryan, her cowboy and true soulmate and considers family life and motherhood her greatest joy. Looking for a rewarding career where you can make a difference for our children and the community?

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