🌱 Helping Kids Navigate Disappointment 🌱

In this newsletter, you will get....

• Parenting Tips

• Activity of the Week

Parenting Tips

• Normalize the Feeling
  Let your child know that disappointment is a normal part of life. You might say, “It makes sense you’re sad. I feel that way too when things don’t go the way I hoped.”

• Name the Emotion
  Use emotion words like frustrated, sad, let down, discouraged. Naming the feeling reduces its intensity and builds emotional vocabulary.

• Resist the Quick Fix
  Instead of immediately offering a replacement (“We can go get ice cream instead!”), sit with the feeling first. This teaches kids that uncomfortable emotions can be tolerated, not avoided.

• Teach Coping Skills
  Guide your child through calming strategies—deep breaths, taking a walk, drawing their feelings, or talking it out.

• Reflect and Reframe
  After the intensity passes, encourage reflection. Ask, “What helped you feel better?” or “What could we do differently next time?” This builds problem-solving skills.

Activity of the Week

Disappointment Thermometer

Helps kids identify, measure, and regulate their feelings of disappointment by giving them a concrete visual scale.

Create the Thermometer

• Draw a tall thermometer on paper, poster board, or a whiteboard.

• Mark it from 1–10 (1 = very calm, 10 = extremely disappointed/upset).

• Let your child decorate it with colors or symbols. For example:

  • Green (1–3) = “I’m okay.”

  • Yellow (4–6) = “I’m struggling.”

  • Red (7–10) = “I need help calming down.”

Introduce the Scale

Explain:

• 1–3: “I’m a little disappointed, but I can handle it.”

• 4–6: “This feels pretty hard. I might need a strategy to help.”

• 7–10: “I feel really upset. I definitely need support to calm down.”

Pair Numbers with Coping Tools

Create a menu of strategies linked to each level:

• 1–3 (green):

  • Take 3 deep breaths

  • Get a hug

  • Do a quick stretch

• 4–6 (yellow):

  • Use the “Disappointment Toolbox”

  • Draw or journal feelings

  • Listen to music or go outside

• 7–10 (red):

  • Ask for help from a parent/teacher

  • Use a calming corner/quiet space

  • Squeeze a stress ball or practice grounding (name 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, etc.)

Reflect After Cooling Down

Once your child has calmed, revisit the thermometer:

• “What number did you start at? What number are you at now?”

• “What helped bring you down?”
  This builds awareness that disappointment can shift with the right tools.

Bonus Variation

• Family Thermometer: Hang one on the fridge and let everyone mark their number with a clothespin or magnet. This normalizes big feelings and shows kids that even adults use coping strategies.