Disappointment can be difficult to manage but it is an inevitable aspect of life.According to mental health specialist Frederick Dyer, it’s important for parents to let their children know this.“Prepare them for disappointments. Let them know that life and people are not perfect,” he said.“Tell them they will have disappointments, that some things they were looking forward to will not happen, but that doesn’t mean they cannot be a success.”According to Dr Dyer, guiding children through their disappointments builds resilience and strength of character in them. In fact, it might seem odd but, handling disappointment can actually give a child a better sense of who they are, and increase their confidence.“We want children to use their disappointments as levers for developing internal strength,” said Dr Dyer.His advice to parents in guiding their children through their disappointments is to:1) listen to the child and acknowledge his or her feelings;2) normalise the issue by letting the child know that disappointments do happen;3) converse about how they can move forward despite their upset and be certain to get their input;4) if appropriate, share a disappointment you had. This lets the child know they are not alone and gives them some faith that they can get through it;5) let the child know that their feelings will lessen with the passage of time;6) give the child some time to get over the disappointment.“Don’t minimise their feelings by telling them things like ‘oh don’t worry you’ll get over it,’” said Dr Dyer.“More than anything, your children want to know you care.”And he said letting them know that you do, arms them to face and fight life’s challenges instead of feeling defeated.Children equipped with this type of strength are better able to make wise choices in terms of drug and alcohol use, Dr Dyer added.