A 6-YEAR-OLD AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Last night my son decided to rebrand his parents. He will no longer be calling us Mommy and Daddy. It is apparently time to transition to Mom and Dad. Recognizing that change can be hard, he was thoughtful enough to offer some justification to help us understand what is happening. "It suits my voice better," he told us. So a change, but still providing enough continuity that it won't confuse people (as opposed to, for example, suddenly calling us by our names). And a simply-stated case for change that still calls to mind positive concepts like authenticity, growth and maturity.

Appreciating the value of giving those most affected some time to adjust before an actual change takes place, he didn't make the common mistake of sharing the news with us at the same time he introduced it to the rest of the world. He is giving us some lead time to prepare. The change will take effect "maybe sometime next week." (Not that I question the depth of his planning or commitment, but I suspect that timeline may be extended.)