Presenting Facts of Life to a Child

I am now refreshing my mind with the content for another workshop for kids from divorced families. The prescribed workbook has a page with the bold headline "Why aren't some families together?"

The first line following the heading reads "One of the facts about life that you have discovered by now is that things change". I laughed out loud, a spontaneous response. It is like preaching the concept of Impermanence to a child. Yes honesty is perhaps the best way forward to tell the child about changes but the sentence sounds so jaded.  Fair enough that the writer went on to say that some changes are good and some are bad. Yet the phrase 'Facts about life' sounds so philosophical and so resigned. The phrase 'You (would) have discovered by now' also seems to add years onto their childhood. A sentence like "We can see a lot of changes in the world around us" may sound more appropriate.

Perhaps for a start, this workshop facilitator should walk the talk first and learn to embrace change. At 65 I am still 'discovering' with shock,  this 'fact of life'.  I am surprised by loads of things that change rapidly including

- these body parts that malfunction suddenly
- this mind that doesn't deliver as before
- the change in values that threatens my entrenched worldview
- the grim future from climate change
- the unintended consequences of social media
- the changes in lifestyle brought about by AI and digital technology

If a 65 year old is still grappling with uncertainties that changes may bring about what more do young children facing the loss of a routine family life which is their anchor of security. If my 65 year old habitual mind which longs for certainty in a comfort zone needs meditation to calm the mind and accept Impermanence how much assurance does a young feeble mind needs to feel safe amid change.

I guess some kids have to face reality and the 'facts of life' at younger age than others and we have to help them stay resilient but avoid developing a pessimistic outlook which douses the child like spirit.