Take time before the session and find a quiet place for reflection. Saying goodbye to friends can be hard. How do you react to goodbyes? Do you feel impatient or embarrassed, unwilling to engage with the poignancy of the moment? Do you breathe deeply and hold the moment in your head and heart? Are you overwhelmed by tears?

Transitions can also be difficult. How do you react to transitions in your life? Do you feel a sense of anticipation, a sense of dread, or a combination of both? Do you wish things to stay the same, or do you relish change and the excitement it brings?

There is no one right way to say goodbye or to respond to transitions. For many of us, our feelings can be complex. That very complexity can make it difficult to stay emotionally present for endings or transitions, which in turn can make it hard to achieve a satisfying closure.

Reflect on your own reaction to changes and the reactions of other people in your life or whom you have known. Embrace the diversity of reactions to and the inevitability of change. Bring that awareness to your work with the children.