Life Lesson - Change can be hard, sad and very uncomfortable.

I'm finding myself using my work experience and training in the area of change management to help my kids (and myself) through this change.

With only four days before our move date the reality is setting in for all of us.  Last night as I was putting the kids to bed I noticed our bedtime discussion topics were beginning to change.  Owen, my sensitive, sweet 10 year old, was excited to be sleeping on the floor (we sold his bedroom furniture to a neighbor yesterday, including his bed frame).  As I was tucking him in and we were giving our big hugs he commented on how empty his room was.  He very quietly then said, "I don't like it."  I realized he's really not finding "joy with less" at this particular moment as much of his stuff and stuff within our house begins to disappear.  I acknowledged how different his room looked and felt and then we began to talk about his new room.  What colors will we paint the walls?  What posters will he hang up?  Where will all of his Bobble Heads go?

I then moved onto my talkative and gutsy 8 year old, Nora.  As I was tucking her in she looked at me and said, "I will be able to come back into this house after we move, right?"  I explained that another family will be living here and we won't be able to just walk in like we do today.  We'll need to be invited.  Her lip began to quiver and she explained how excited she was about moving but also how sad it is to leave our house and neighborhood.  Ah, the dreaded mixed emotions.  Bittersweetness.   I explained that change can be both exciting and sad at the same time and assured her that what she was feeling was very normal.  I too felt the same way.

My kids did a great job of reminding me that we'll each deal with this change differently, in our own way, at our own pace and that's OK.