Most of my disappointments when I was young revolved around athletics—not making a team, didn’t get to play, striking out. Kids will have disappointments. It’s just a fact of life. When they face them, we need to be there to lift them back up with an encouraging word and the perspective they need to keep moving forward.
My mom and dad were two of the biggest encouragers I ever had. There were several things they did that helped me recover from my disappointments. Here are 2 ways to encourage your kids after a disappointment.
1. You need to grow.
My mom would always tell me that I need to grow from my disappointment. The reality is that God often works through our disappointments to grow our maturity.
2. You need to look to the future.
My dad was similar. He would always ask me what I was going to do to make the situation better. If I struck out with the bases loaded, he would ask me what I was going to do to prepare so next time I was in that situation, there would be a different outcome. My parents always got me thinking about the future, which I have tried to pass on to my kids. I tell them, “This didn’t work out, but what’s next? How can we make it better in the future?”
Sound off: What’s another encouraging word can we give our kids after a disappointment?
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What is one encouraging thing to remember when you face disappointments?”