Dealing with Disappointment

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dissapointment

 

Disappointment is a natural part of life that young people will encounter as they navigate through different experiences. It can result from unmet expectations, setbacks, or shattered dreams. However, learning to manage disappointment is crucial for building resilience and personal growth. It's important to understand that disappointment is a normal emotion and plays a vital role in a young person's emotional, intellectual, and social development. Instead of trying to shield children from disappointment, we can support them in learning how to cope with it, as it equips them with the skills for future challenges. Helping children develop healthy strategies for managing disappointment will contribute to their long-term happiness and success. It's like a practice lap on the course to adulthood.

Number
1
Title

Allow them to feel disappointment

Content

Encourage them to take a moment to acknowledge and label their feelings about the setback.

Number
2
Title

Do a reality check

Content

Help them assess the situation objectively and separate fact from fiction to reduce negative self-talk.

Number
3
Title

Choosing how to respond

Content

Remind them that they have a choice in how they think and respond to disappointment.

Number
4
Title

Don’t allow endless rumination

Content

Discourage them from dwelling on disappointment for too long to prevent it from escalating into stronger negative emotions.

Number
5
Title

Put things in perspective

Content

Encourage them to reframe the disappointment in a constructive and positive way, finding something useful or a small positive aspect.

 

Number
6
Title

Journalling

Content

Writing down their distress can help express and process their emotions in a non-threatening way.