How to deal with your child's disappointment with cancelled plans

YOU promised your nine-year-old you would drive him to his friend’s house this afternoon but there’s a problem with the car and the visit’s off.

When you have to change an arrangement that your child has been counting on, how do you stay intact in the face of his disappointment?

Your child’s age may well determine how he will react to disappointment, says parent child coach Helen Sholdice, who sees young children (aged 3 to 6) reacting.