As parents, we’ve all been there – our kids ask us a question that catches us off guard, and we’re left scrambling to come up with a response that’s both honest and reassuring. One such question that can be particularly tricky to navigate is Will we still have family movie nights? Maybe you’ve recently gone through a divorce, moved to a new house, or experienced some other significant change that’s left your child wondering if certain traditions will continue.

When faced with this question, it’s essential to approach the conversation with empathy and understanding. Here are some strategies and example sentences to help you respond in a way that will comfort and reassure your child:

Acknowledge their concern
Start by letting your child know that you understand why they’re asking the question. Acknowledge their concern and show them that you’re taking their feelings into consideration.

I know you’re worried about our family movie nights, and I want you to know that I’m thinking about it too.

Reassure them without making promises
While you may not be able to guarantee that everything will stay the same, you can reassure your child that you’re committed to finding ways to maintain your special traditions.

We’ll definitely try to keep having family movie nights, even if they might look a little different from now on.

Explain the changes
If there have been significant changes in your family situation, it’s essential to explain them to your child in a way that they can understand.

You know how Mommy and Daddy aren’t living together anymore? That means some things might be different, but we both still love you very much and want to spend time with you.

Involve them in the solution
Encourage your child to think critically about how you can adapt your family movie nights to the new situation.

What do you think we could do to make our movie nights still special, even if we’re not all living together? or How can we make our movie nights work now that we’re in a new house?

Offer alternatives
If you’re not sure when or if you’ll be able to continue family movie nights in the same way, consider offering alternative solutions that still allow for quality time together.

We might not be able to have movie nights every Friday, but we can definitely set aside one night a month to watch a movie together and make some popcorn.

Show enthusiasm and positivity
Above all, it’s essential to convey to your child that you’re excited about finding ways to maintain your special traditions, even in the face of change.

I’m really looking forward to finding new ways to make our movie nights fun and special, even if they’re a little different from before.

Here are some additional example sentences to help you respond to your child’s question:

We’ll figure it out together, okay?

I love our movie nights too, and I’m not willing to give them up just yet!

We might have to get a little creative, but I’m sure we can make it work.

I know it won’t be exactly the same, but we can still make some amazing memories together.

What if we have a movie night at Grandma’s house instead? That could be fun too!

Let’s make a list of all the things we love about movie nights and see how we can make them happen in our new situation.

It might take some time, but I promise we’ll find a way to make it work.

We can even set up a special movie area in our new house to make it feel cozy and fun.

We’ll make new traditions, but they’ll still be special because we’re making them together.

When responding to your child’s question, remember to be genuine, empathetic, and reassuring. By using some of the strategies and example sentences above, you can help your child feel more secure and comforted, even in the face of change. And who knows? You might just find that your new situation leads to some amazing new traditions and memories to cherish.

Be kind ❤