Dealing with change as an anxious Black girl

I have never been one to enjoy change. In fact, as a kid, my anxiety would always flare up when we had to move houses or schools. I would find myself with an upset stomach for days, or at times crying myself to sleep for weeks in a row following a change event. Nobody understood my anxiety.

In the African/Black community we place very little emphasis on mental health issues. Often I found myself navigating through my anxiety wondering if I was overreacting. I grew up with the idea that Black people are not allowed to be weak. Our parents had bigger problems to face such as racial discrimination, slavery and colonization, so in my mind, I felt my anxiety was the least of their worries.

Me and my twin brother @sisg.official

Later in life, I realized that our behavior in adulthood is a direct result of our childhood experiences. For this reason, I vowed to make sure that I do my best to guide my children through life issues such as change.

When Christine offered her book for review I knew I couldn’t pass the opportunity to share what goes through a child’s mind when they experience change.

Change is inevitable, that’s true. But as much as adults understand the need for change, for children, change can lead to confusion, panic and anxiety. As parents, it’s important to gently explain the change event to our children. This should happen months before the event to prevent anxiety and depression.

Helping a child adjust to change

Parenting is a “learn as you go” type of job, and most parents need extra resources to help them raise their children. When I think back to my childhood, I would have appreciated a book that could help me deal with my fear of change. If you’ve got a major life change coming up and you are not sure how to approach your children perhaps using a book as a tool can help.

Christine’s book “Home” is a great book to slowly introduce the discussion of change to a child aged 3-9. It follows a boy named Henry who suddenly has to move to a new house with his three dogs who each have their reservations about the move. One of the dogs is much more nervous about the move than the others and needs more love and reassurance. The book delivers a message that change is good and that a supportive family can alleviate some of the anxiety that comes with the change.

The language and tone are simple for children to understand. Children will also enjoy the fact that it rhymes. The book has a rating of 5/5 and sells for $12,99.

Does your child struggle with change? Helping a child adjust to change is easy when you have resources available to you. I would recommend this book to parents who are thinking of making a big change in their life. Read the book a couple of times with your children and then open up a discussion on how they feel about the upcoming changes. Use the book to reassure them that change is good!

This is a book review of “Home” authored by Christine Reynebeau, owner of Dreambuilt Books