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Transitions Are Tricky: Supporting Your Brain (and Your Kids') in Times of Change

Transitions—new schools, new routines, seasonal shifts—are hard. Even the good ones. They rattle our nervous systems, disrupt our rhythms, and stir up big emotions in both us and our kids. But there’s a way to move through them with more grace.

The Brain and Transitions: Why Do They Feel So Hard

Change = Uncertainty. And our brains don’t like that. The prefrontal cortex (which manages planning and control) gets overwhelmed, while the amygdala (responsible for fear) amps up. Kids feel it even more deeply, often without the language to explain it.

A girl experiencing back-to-school anxiety - staring at a notepad and holding her head in her hands with a distressed expression on her face.

How It Shows Up

  • Meltdowns, regressions, or clinginess in kids

  • Anxiety, irritability, or brain fog in adults

  • Avoidance, disorganization, sleep disruptions

What Helps: Parenting Tips for Transitions

  • Predictability: Routines help the brain feel safe. Reinforce what stays the same.

  • Co-regulation: When you stay calm, you help regulate your child’s nervous system.

  • Name the change: “This feels different. It’s okay to feel weird about it.”

  • Visual supports: Calendars, visual schedules, or countdowns for upcoming events

A board on the wall with a neat and organized family calendar, with color-coded tasks, represents how visual support can be helpful in times of emotional transitions.

Mindful Transition Routines

  • Morning grounding (even 3 minutes of connection)

  • After-school decompression time

  • Evening check-ins (storytime, chat, snuggle)

Conclusion

Transitions are never seamless—but they don’t have to be chaotic. With a little awareness and support, you can help your whole family navigate change with more calm and confidence.

A mother reading a story to her two kids, who are engaged and relaxed, represents the effectiveness of a storytime routine to help cope with change.

Looking for ways to support your family through change? Winnow & Bloom Home Therapy includes brain-based strategies and emotional regulation tools that help you and your kids move through transitions with calm and connection.

Need in-person support? We’ll help you set up practical routines and visual systems to anchor your home during big life shifts.


 
 
 

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