This year wet weather has frequently cancelled much anticipated weekend sports, leaving players and their parents feeling disappointed. For players, it can be a major let-down, and results in them missing out on exercise, time outdoors and socialising. Parents also miss out on important wellbeing elements when their kid’s sport is called off! Here’s some suggestions to tackle these feelings and make the most of a rainy day.
Strategies for Managing Disappointment
1. Acknowledge Feelings
Validate the disappointed or confused emotions. It’s important to recognize and discuss the disappointment without dismissing it.
2. Plan Alternate Fun!
Keep the weekend a highlight! Options might include something with the team like a pizza lunch, a team-building exercise, or a casual practice session (team run!). Otherwise you can use the time to do an activity with your child/teen like go to the zoo, the beach, a bushwalk or shopping.
3. Encourage Reflection and Resilience
Discuss what kids/teens have learned in recent games, discuss what they like about sport and think about what they’re looking forward to in future games. Reflect with your kids and teens that setbacks, like cancelled games, are a normal part of sports and life.
4. Encourage Social Connection
Suggest team-building activities or other social hangouts for kids, teens and parents. We want to replace the connection that games offer through other means, especially when the game was the only thing planned for that day.
Feeling like resilience is something that needs to be worked on either in yourself or your child/teen? At The Centre for Effective Living we provide support for building skills and responding to stress.
