Gratitude When Something Doesn’t Go the Way We Hoped It Would
We all know it’s easy to be grateful when things are going our way, according to our plan. But what about when things are going the exact opposite of how we hoped they would? As adults, we have come to understand that this is just part of life, but our children are still learning this. We can help them by viewing these opportunities as teachable moments.
When our children are disappointed that something isn’t going their way, we as parents might be tempted to respond in a couple of ways:
1. Stay stuck in sadness or anger along with our children.
2. Tell our children to get over it.
Now, I do believe that there are times when we need to join our children in their sadness and disappointment–just not get stuck there. And I do believe that there are appropriate times for us to encourage our children to acknowledge their hurt but then at least attempt to move on. I think, though, that there are some great chances for teachable moments in the in-between. We can help them see what is still good and right, what opportunities are available to them now that wouldn’t have been otherwise, or what they can do differently next time to possibly produce a different outcome.
Though these lessons can be hard for our children, they can produce good results–things like flexibility, endurance, and even creativity. Through this month’s gratitude series, we are talking about how choosing gratitude can become a discipline for us and our families. When things aren’t going the way we hoped, this is a prime time to work on choosing gratitude.
If you and your kids are having a difficult day today, take a few minutes together to name some things that you can be grateful for. I think you’ll be amazed at the way it can help shift your perspective.
