Disappointment is an unfortunate part of life. Thankfully, we will all experience “the thrill of victory” during our lives but “the agony of defeat” is inevitable. When I look back on my life, the failures and disappointments were just as crucial as the successes because I learned from both. In fact, I would argue the kicks in the teeth were more valuable lessons and are never forgotten. I have had the benefit of living a very full life so far and as I reflect on the things that nearly crushed my spirit, I understand that without them I would not be where I am today. This is very hard to explain to a child and even harder for a parent to accept when their children are feeling broken and beaten down. I do not have any words of wisdom on how to help a child through their disappointments, but I do believe there are things we can do as parents.
Encourage your child to understand that sometimes things won’t go their way and that is OK! Help your child learn how to brave the rough spots because a lesson is buried in each obstacle we face. The universe wants us to learn not to repeat the mistakes of the past in order to prepare us for a brighter future. This is not an easy task and believe me I have spent many hours suffering silently behind the scenes when my children are struggling. I do take comfort in knowing that the reason for the disappointment will eventually be revealed and my kids will be better because of it. Reminding them each day of their special qualities and how much they are loved goes a long way!
