We don’t always get what we want, and that can be really hard. In this story, Javi learns that when he doesn’t get what he wants, he can try to do something that makes him feel better, or just let himself be sad for a little bit. 

Grown-ups, try this out with your own littles! Did it work? Did you run into a challenge? 

Connect with us at [email protected] or on IG at @Realstoriesrealchildren. 

Tips for caregivers: 

• Don’t feel that you need to rush to make your child feel better immediately. Part of growing up and being in touch with your feelings is sitting in disappointment sometimes - this is where you can empathize with them!
• In a moment when your child isn’t upset, you can talk about how they feel when they don’t get what they want and maybe even think about some things that they can do to make them feel better. Maybe a special song or a handshake, or maybe they just practice letting themselves have sad feelings. A neutral moment is a great time to practice these things because then they can think about it without having the emotions in the heat of the moment.