Until you meet people who are walking your path, like me, you may not want to share those awkward experiences as readily with others. I did not know whether it was my inability to be a good parent or that it was just normal behaviour I’d have to get used to.

One of my big daily challenges was getting my son ready for nursery. The basic task of dressing was really difficult. In order for our son to get dressed, he would have to be on my knee, he would often shout and try run to other parts of the house and it would be a daily battle against the clock.

The next huge challenge was taking him in the car and settling him in to nursery.
He would want to run around the playground and not want to go inside. The situation was frustrating for my son and for me!

After attending the John Tracy Clinic in Los Angeles, I found it a great comfort to discover that as a parent with a deaf child that other parents with deaf children were experiencing the same problem and it had a name – transition – moving on from one demand to the next!

Understanding how to cope with transitions and learning what triggers this problem for your child can be invaluable benefit to the whole family. Here are my top four tips to help with transition problems:

Tip 1: Plan ahead to give yourself more time!
To improve routine situations, that you can’t avoid - give your child time and then give yourself time. On a morning, I left 10 minutes earlier than before and to try and get much extra time as I could. It sounds odd but it really worked instead of rushing and being pressured by time, my son had a chance to play longer and got more time for warnings. Wow what an impact! I t became easier for me and more enjoyable for both of us.

Tip 2: Set up a visual timetable & use a sticker to reward
A visual timetable of events can give your child a focus and idea of what was going to happen. This communication immediately gave my son some visual clues to allow him to come to terms with what will be happening in his day. Also it really helped to develop his ability to sequence events and speech and language. All that was needed was a set of pictures small enough to carry around to place on an A5 chart. Put your digital camera or your camera phone to good use and photograph everything your child does or uses. Develop a chart with NOW, NEXT AND THEN and put the picture in order. Laminating them will make them last longer. Ensure you have some stickers with you to give your child as a reward!

Tip 3: Use experience books
Use a scrapbook to keep pictures or photographs of what happens during the week at the weekend and write a short narrative, this not only helps with transition but is great for developing language and speech too. From a dentist visit to a trip to the theatre, if you come up against an awkward transition they are great to fall back on as they provide a sequence of events to help with your communication.

Tip 4 Be persistent & consistent
Keep trying and don’t give up! Things will take time to improve, but once they will and when they do – money can’t buy the feeling. Today, my son walks in to nursery when the whistle blows. He takes off his own coat, he hangs it up on the peg, and he chats the whole time. And as we trace out the letters of his name card, he spells out his name and tells me his name. He walks in, and through the window he gives me a wave and a final salute before I leave. Priceless!

Gerard Featherstone’s son received a Cochlear Freedom implant when he was two years of age. Gerard is also an Advocate for Cochlear UK.

Gerard edited My Brother John, a book written from a sibling's perspective, which raises some of the basic issues the hearing sibling faces with having a brother who is deaf and uses a cochlear implant and hearing aid.

Read The Times' article about Gerard, here.

Gerard will be taking part in an author reading during Deaf Awareness Week on May 10th between 2-3pm at Waterstone's in Manchester’s Trafford Centre. Come and meet him and get signed copies of My Brother John!