Many children (and adults) have difficulty making transitions. A seemingly calm child can go into a total meltdown when you tell her she has to stop playing and take a bath. Or it might occur if the schedule changes without warning. Some kids get very cranky everyday day during natural transition times such as getting ready for school and getting out the door in the morning, or during the dinner hour after you come home from school and work.

Whether you have a toddler or a teen, helping your children build confidence is an ongoing process that continues well into adulthood. Here’s my list of confidence builders that can be applied at any age.

Are we creating a population of stimulation junkies? Yes, I think we are. A stimulation junkie is someone who needs to be entertained or stimulated all the time, and when left to entertain herself, becomes uncomfortable. She has withdrawals. 

What parent hasn’t been confronted with a meltdown? We all have. It’s a regular event, and just part of the behavioral terrain if you have kids. The bigger question is how to handle them most effectively. There are some strategies that can help, but before getting to those, it’s a good idea to get a grasp on what’s actually happening during a meltdown.

When my son was an infant, I developed a little ritual with him that helped me to get things done around the house while also keeping him entertained. The ritual was to put him in his umbrella stroller (a popular item at the time), and move him around with me from room to room as I did housework.  I chattered to him all the while as I worked. The chatter was mostly grownup talk.