Navigating Uncertainty and Exploring the Unknown
Learning to understand and accept new things is an important part of your child’s development. It’s never too early to start teaching our children how to embrace the unfamiliar.
Things to think about:
Be aware of your own feelings.
Your child will notice how you respond to new and unfamiliar experiences. Pay attention to your body language and eye contact during new experiences. Explain what you’re thinking and feeling to help them understand what is happening and how to respond.
If it looks like they are becoming too overwhelmed, take a break! Step away for a few minutes and acknowledge – out loud – that new and unfamiliar experiences can take some getting-used-to.
There are lots of different ways to show your child new people, places, and things.
- Take your children to festivals and community events that celebrate with culturally diverse foods, music, and clothing. Your children may not be able to talk about the importance of these experiences, but they will learn to encounter and embrace things that are new when these opportunities are a normal part of their lived experience.
- Read stories that include people of different ethnic groups, family organizations, gender identities and physical abilities.
If you, yourself, don’t have much experience with other cultures, use this as an opportunity to learn with your child. Diversity awareness and respect is important at all ages.
For some new experiences, like going to an unfamiliar playground or outdoor concert, talk about what it may feel, sound, or look like and what they can expect.
- Don’t avoid all situations that may cause your child some stress. Create opportunities to teach your child that new things – even those that make them nervous – can be great!
- It can be helpful to read stories about an upcoming experience to help prepare your child, but don’t over-prepare them. Over-preparation can actually increase anxiety, and make a new situation seem scary.
- Start small. It can be helpful to visit a setting in advance (like going to the dentist’s office on a day when they don’t have an appointment, or visiting a new preschool before leaving your child for the day). Exposing your child to new things in small doses can decrease anxiety and increase curiosity and comfort.