4 Ways to Help Our Kids Handle Disappointment

No one likes to be disappointed.

Whether it's missing an event you've looked forward to or not receiving something you expected, we've all known what it's like to feel disappointment.

When our girls were small, I would often hold off telling them about an activity I was planning until we were basically headed out the door.  I didn't want to deal with their reaction if our plans were canceled.  However, since we know that our children will face disappointment in their lives, it's helpful if we can give them strategies for handling it.

Here are four ideas that I'm trying, since even my older kids get disappointed at times!

1. Empathize.  Take the time to recognize their feelings.  Show compassion and let them know that you've suffered disappointments, too.  
2. Remind them that God knows all about it. We can take our disappointments to Him, realizing, too, that He has allowed this to happen.  We can trust that it is in His good plans for us.
3. Think of something new to anticipate.  Take the focus off of the current situation and begin to look forward to another outing, activity, etc.
4. Set an example.  When you suffer a disappointment, deal with it as you would want your children to do.  Seeing how you handle these situations can help your children as well.

Do you have other suggestions for handling disappointment?