How do you help Junior deal with life’s disappointments? A lot depends on what you say to him.
Your four-year-old’s life doesn’t always go according to plan. Like the time you took him to buy a birthday present, but the toy that you promised him was sold out.
Or perhaps you couldn’t take him to the zoo last week as you had hoped because you had a crisis at work. Disappointments can throw your child’s confidence, leaving him feeling low and dispirited. Here are ways to help him cope:
INSTEAD OF SAYING “You are being silly and acting like a baby.”
SAY THIS “I can see you are very disappointed by this.”
WHY IT WORKS Take his feelings seriously, and resist the urge to trivialise his reaction. To you, the fact that you had to cancel his trip to the park today is no big deal because you know that you’ll be able to take him tomorrow when you have more time and when the weather will be better.
But the disappointment is real for your preschooler because he lives in the moment. So, let him know that you understand his feelings.
This story is from the Young Parents Preschool Guide 2017 edition of Young Parents Pre-School Guide.
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This story is from the Young Parents Preschool Guide 2017 edition of Young Parents Pre-School Guide.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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