adjusting to change

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

This is the season of change.  Kids go back to school, husband goes back to work, and my piano students start back up.

It can be a very stressful time for those who don’t like change.

One year when I was teaching preschool, we got a new director. One of the first things she did was have us all read the book Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson, M.D. It talks about change.

When they rearranged my grocery store, I told Beekeeper Brian they were “moving my cheese.” One morning someone parked in my normal spot at the swimming pool, and my friend said “So they moved your cheese.”

Some people, me included, do not like to have our cheese moved.

I’ve discovered that humans are not the only ones who have trouble handling change.  Our dogs are pretty set in their routine.

I usually put their kennels in the living room where they sleep and then I let them go outside while I go to close up the chickens. When we come in, I take down the gate between the kitchen and the living room and they go straight to their kennels.

One day last week, I took down the gate before I went to let out the chickens. Sometimes stepping over it in the evening is too daunting a task.

This was very confusing for Bella. She ran straight to where her kennel normally is and walked around in circles. Then she went to look for it.

I had a very hard time getting her to go outside first. Finally we got everyone settled for the night.

The good thing about Bella is that she has a very short memory so there is no danger of her being permanently traumatized by the temporary change in routine.

I’m not taking any chances, though.  No more moving Bella’s cheese.