Our children undergo various changes throughout their lives-sometimes they are small changes that they can easily overcome, and sometimes the changes are quite substantial and are difficult for our children to cope with. Especially this year with all the changes happening as a result of this pandemic, our children have had to adjust to many more changes that have posed a challenge to them and to parents all over the world trying to help their children cope and adapt.
Story-telling is such a powerful tool in helping children understand, process, and cope with their experiences. It helps them feel less alone and helps them learn healthy coping strategies.
When this pandemic began earlier this year, my five-year-old son voiced to me that he was missing his friends and family, his usual activities that he would attend after school and that he missed having playdates with friends. I observed that he was having difficulty coping with all the changes happening in his life.
As a mother of two children and an Occupational Therapist who works with children, I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact that stories can have on our children’s ability to make sense of their experiences. Whenever my son was about to experience a change (i.e. starting kindergarten, potty-training, becoming a big brother), I would invest in books surrounding these topics and we would read them often together. I found that they would help my son with what he was experiencing and it would open the door for some very important conversations to happen.
I decided to write this book to help my own children adapt to the changes they were experiencing, and may experience in their lives moving forward, and to help children all over the world who are finding themselves in new situations that they are trying to cope with, ranging from starting a new school year with new teachers and classmates, to the changes associated with this pandemic, to a parent’s absence, among others.
My passion for helping children, as well as my desire to support my own children during all the changes they are currently experiencing in their lives and the ones to come, has led me to write this book from my heart, to hopefully comfort the hearts of children all around the world.
Where to Purchase:
If you’re interested in ordering this book, please click on the links below which will take you directly to the pages where you can place your order:
What Others are Saying About the Book:
“This book is a beautiful expression of talking to children about new experiences. By normalizing their feelings, & sharing with safe people, children develop greater coping skills. This is a great resource for families navigating change & transition.” -Sarah Boyd, Founder of Resilient Little Hearts
“An eye opening book for children and parents alike. An excellent read for children facing change, while also teaching empathy to what friends may be experiencing. Very well written, full of passion…my children insisted it be a daily bedtime book!” -Hanaa E.
“This book is very good, it has a great message to it. I really enjoyed reading it. This book made me think of all the things going on in our life today and how we should help each other out in this tough time. I really liked how this book related to what’s happening in the world right now. The illustration was fantastic as well. Overall this book was very good. Good job! -Dalia E. (Age: 12)
“Runda’s book did a great job at catching all the aspects a child faces during change. It walks us through different scenarios and coping methods to discuss with our children.
Some scenarios she presented were not even something I had previously considered as a change a child may have difficulty with (a parent traveling). Yet, the book brought the change to light and got a conversation going with my own child about his fears to do with a parent leaving. It allowed me to see a different side to my child who mostly acts unphased during stressful scenarios, and get him to open up about his worries.
The coping strategies were also well covered, and my child loved practicing them with me. When we talked about a happy thought to help my child through a tough situation, his response caught me by surprise! I was so grateful that this book gave me the opportunity to have that conversation with him, when during the daily rush of life, we don’t have time to just sit down and talk about these simple yet important things.
Overall, this book is a gem and a must have in every household where children are nurtured. I look forward to seeing what other successes come from Runda and her writing.” -Asmaa B.
USER GUIDE for When Things Are Different
I designed this user guide to compliment my book to provide additional support to families trying to support their children through changes they are experiencing. Even if you don’t have the book, not to worry! I added in general tips and strategies to help you support your child.
Click here or on the image below for the user guide!
