How Do You Let Your Child Know about the Plan?
This chapter highlights the importance of telling the child with anxiety about the plan. The child will be surprised and confused by the change in the parents’ behavior if they do not tell the child beforehand. Describing the plan to the child will also help the parents to stay firm and committed to implementing the plan. Moreover, telling the child about the change the parents are going to make not only respects the child as a person, one who is going to be directly affected by the change, but it also gives the child an opportunity to offer feedback and input. The child is probably going to be less opposed to the plan and the whole process may be much easier. The chapter then details how parents can let their child know about the plan in a supportive way, expressing both acceptance and confidence. The message that the parents give to the child to let them know about the plan for reducing accommodation has a few simple goals. It should let the child know why the parents are planning to reduce the accommodation, and it should let the child know the what, when, who, and how and how much of the plan.