There has been a lot of talk recently about the need to find a “new normal”. With everyone living in uncertainty, it is understandable that people would long for what they had before. But the problem is that there is no such thing as “normal”. The idea of normal is subjective to each individual’s routine—people, places, and activities with which a person is familiar—but routines change, places change, people change.
Change is the most normal thing we can have.
But change is hard. It is uncomfortable and it forces us to examine ourselves in ways that we may not want. Change pushes us to grow in new areas and learn new things. And when we have the ability to adapt—to look for new options or opportunities—we can thrive even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.
But what gives that ability? What gives us the ability to look at our environment, our circumstances, and make decisions thar we believe are in our best interests? We are generally able to survive those changes because we learned those problem-solving skills in secure and supportive environments. Those who struggle with adapting to change are those who may not have had the same opportunities to develop those skills—those who may not have had those secure or supportive environments.
As caregivers, we strive to provide that environment to displaced children who may not have had it in the past. We work to give those children the freedom to explore and develop problem-solving skills while maintaining a sense of safety and encouragement. Our goal is for the children placed in our care to learn to adapt to new challenges in healthy ways, to develop their sense of self-confidence in the face of uncertainty, and to be able to find their own “normal” in the midst of constant change.