Navigating Change

If you talk with practically any child psychologist or mental health organization, they will tell you that a crucial building block of children’s mental and behavioral health is a consistent routine and structured schedule. Routines regulate a child’s inner clock, improve focus, reduce anxiety, build independence and help make them feel secure and confident.

In a way, we never outgrow the need for the comfort of knowing what’s next. As adults, we make our own daily routines – waking up, preparing for the day, going to work, hanging out with friends, relaxing back at home and returning to bed. Then there are the larger routines of work schedules, the seasons – and the chores and activities/traditions that come with them – election cycles, and so on.

In the past few years, however, some of those routines have been upended. The COVID pandemic brought in-person education and business to a close. The recent tariffs have people questioning what the future of commerce (and their own businesses) looks like. The Education Department is being slowly dismantled, and DEI initiatives – which schools and businesses alike have sought to incorporate in their practices – are being curtailed. It’s understandable and ok to be confused, frustrated and perhaps dejected by these changes, these interruptions.

But I believe this is where learning and growth happens.

The key is to keep moving forward and realize that you are not alone. Everyone has gone, or is going through the same experiences. If we are going to get through with our financial and mental security intact, we need to work together, listening to other people’s experiences and offering solutions based on our own knowledge and insight. Plus, new situations allow us to look at life, our routines, through different lenses and at different angles. We might learn something along the way.

Speaking of new things, there are a few changes to Educational Dealer you might notice in this issue, some of which we hope to continue going forward (don’t worry, these are good changes). We have consolidated and rebranded the new product features Cool & Hot and New & True into one element called Industry Essentials. We are also re-introducing Retailers Recommend which we haven’t featured in a few years – our hope is to make this a more regular installment.

In the near future we’d also like to premiere a section dedicated to insights and knowledge from store owners called Retailer’s Toolbox. Here, retailers can share their tricks of the trade, so to speak, on a variety of subjects from attending shows, ordering supplies and hosting events. Keep an eye out for more information.

There are plenty of our regular features to offset the variations. This quarter, we talked with furniture manufacturer KI and learned how its multitude of options provide flexibility in learning spaces. Foot Fidget expounded how it transforms chairs and desks to fit the needs of students and teachers. Meanwhile, Jaime Williams of Educational Outfitters in Killeen, TX shared how she transitioned from a teaching career to saving a closing store, turning it into a valuable community resource.

These stories demonstrate how change is inevitable, for good and for ill – the real question is what we will take away from our experiences and circumstances. Let’s learn something new together.