One thing I learned while observing Phyllis' special education summer school class is how important transitions are. It is very important to give plenty of notice before a student makes a transition into another subject, learning center, or mobility lab. This gives the student time to shut down what they are currently doing and prepare themselves for what is about to occur.
All adults should prepare themselves for transitions. If we do not intentionally prepare ourselves, then the move becomes less predictable. It is like going from smooth air to turbulence. Fasten your seat belt!
The other night, we went to Parents' night at Katy High School to begin football season and another run at a Texas State Championship. We have been going to these meetings since 1999, when Matthew was a freshman. Now we are going for Michael. For some reason I had an uncomfortable feeling at the thought of not having a child at home. Michael has only two years of high school left. Up to this point, I do not think I gave it much thought when Matthew and Melissa left for college. I was happy for their new beginning and having less bags of trash to take out. Things are different for Michael. Maybe it is going to take two years to prepare myself to make a smoother transistion.
I keep suggesting to Phyllis we need to adopt another child, however she seems to indicate that she has raised three and would like to retire from that job. I think it would be fun to have another one running around the house! That is another subject, for another day.
What about you? How are you with transitions? What has been one of your most difficult?
About Me
- David Michael
- Katy, Texas, United States
- Being a husband and a father is the greatest blessing in my life. I am also a Special Educator to students with an autism spectrum disorder.
3 comments:
I think I am awful with transitions! I am now about ready to start my third year of the empty nest thing--and I am pretty sure some year I will get the hang of it!
we have moved so much - seven times in ten years -- that I am about to be swept over with transition fatigue.
Although I think we handle them better than most, they all stink.
Hehe - Okay - I thought the blogger world had SHUT DOWN! But as it turns out - I had a glitch in my news reader and so I have now got to catch up on all my blog reading now that they've all downloaded and updated!!! I was thinking that all my favorite bloggers decided to go on strike or something!
My toughest transition has been into motherhood. I was 2 months shy of turning 36 when my miracle son was born. He was an unexpected gift from God that I truly treasure every day. I still tear up when I think about how I had given up on the fact that he would ever come. But before he came, I was independent, I was on the fast track to a very independent career that has all but come to a halt and had to undergo major realignment. I tried to manage my son around my work; and when that didn't work - I finally listened to God as He whispered so gently - manage my work around my son. "Fasttrack" is now "Extremely jagged and slow track..." The picture even of my purpose and my life outside family and in ministry has drastically changed!!! It also jolted the realization I had something else going on in my life that I neede to attend to - and led to a diagnosis of ADHD. I totally fell apart as a mom - wife, keeper of the home - and I kept thinking, "I should be able to do this - why am I so frazzled?" Well, as it turns out - part of that is just being a mom. The rest luckily I can now take medication for!
But the toughest transition has been the most exciting journey; and the great thing is that in every journey, I learn more and more about God that just grows my faith even more. And I get emotional and excited as I talk about it with others. What's really cool - is that it shines through and others see God in my life. They encounter me but walk away knowing they encountered God - even though they may not remember me or my name - if God has touched their lives - then I am humbled and ever grateful to have that tiny role. Used to - I took it personally - easily offended, arrogant, etc. . .
Life got so much easier when it stopped being about me... It's not even about Kade or my family... It's about God and the great God He is!
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