UNDERSTANDING WHEN WE DON'T GET WHAT WE WANT

One sunny afternoon, Alex and their parent went to the toy store.
Alex was excited because they had saved up their allowance and
wanted to buy a new toy car. They had seen it in the store
window last week, and it was all they could think about.

When Alex and their parent arrived at the toy store, they rushed
to the aisle where the toy cars were displayed. But when they got
there, the toy car Alex wanted was gone. Another child had
bought the last one. Alex felt their heart sink and their eyes fill
with tears. This wasn’t what they had hoped for at all.

It’s okay to feel sad, angry, or disappointed when we don’t get

what we want. Alex felt all these emotions. They really wanted
that toy car, and now it was gone. Their parent noticed how upset
Alex was and gave them a hug.

Alex's parent reminded them about a trick they had learned to

calm down. They took a deep breath in through their nose and
then slowly let it out through their mouth. They repeated this a
few times, and it started to help. Alex still felt sad, but the big,
heavy feelings were starting to get a little lighter.

Alex’s parent suggested looking for another toy. Alex wasn’t sure
if they wanted a different toy at first because they had really
wanted the car. But they decided to give it a try. They walked up
and down the aisles, and after a while, something else caught
Alex’s eye – a set of colorful building blocks. Alex loved building
things and thought these blocks looked like a lot of fun.
On the way home, Alex thought about what had happened. It was
hard not getting the toy car, but they were proud of themselves
for staying calm and finding something else to enjoy. Alex's
parent told them how proud they were too, and that it’s
important to remember we can’t always get what we want, but
we can find other things to make us happy.

At home, Alex played with the building blocks and had a great
time creating all kinds of structures. They even made a garage
for their other toy cars. Alex realized that sometimes things don’t
go as planned, but it’s okay because new opportunities can be
just as exciting.

Everyone feels disappointed sometimes when they don’t get what

they want. It’s a normal feeling. The important thing is to
remember that it’s okay to feel upset, and there are ways to help
ourselves feel better. Taking deep breaths, talking to someone we
trust, and looking for other fun options can all help. And who
knows? We might find something new that makes us just as
happy!