How one small moment of sadness can become the beginning of emotional resilience. 

Why Emotional Growth Matters

Children are not born knowing how to deal with frustration, jealousy, or sadness.
These emotions are part of growing up—but without guidance, they can turn into anxiety or low self-esteem.
Parents often try to “fix” their child’s mood, but real growth begins when weteach them how to understand and express emotions.

From a submitted story by Laura, a mother of two from the UK.

“My son, Ethan, failed his school spelling test.
He threw his book on the floor and shouted, ‘I’m stupid!’
I felt that familiar rush of anger—how dare he speak like that?
But then I remembered: this wasn’t defiance, it was disappointment.

So, I sat next to him and said,
‘You’re upset because you worked hard, right?’
He nodded, tears rolling down.
We talked, hugged, and then he asked,
‘Can we try again tomorrow?’

That night, we made a little ‘Try Again’ box with stickers and pencils.
Now, every time he gets frustrated, he adds one sticker when he chooses to keep going.
It changed everything—our home is calmer, and he feels proud, not punished.”

Parenting isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence.
Every emotional storm can be a moment of growth—if we stay patient enough to guide it.

💌 This story was shared by a real family.
If you’d like to share your parenting journey, we’d love to feature your story too.