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Why Children Need Disappointment, Failure, Rejection, Grief, and the Chance to Discover That They Can Survive Them There is a particular expression that passes across a child’s face when something they deeply wanted does not happen. A name is missing from the list. A friend chooses someone else. A role goes to another student. The judge announces the placements, and the number they hoped to hear never comes. The invitation does not arrive. The grade is lower than expected. Th

The other day, someone walked past me wearing a T-shirt that read, “No Risk, No Story.” It was one of those simple statements that stays with you long after the person wearing it has disappeared into the crowd. I immediately thought about classrooms. Every day, students are asked to take risks. They raise their hands without knowing whether their answer is correct. They read aloud when they are unsure of a word. They share an idea that may be different from everyone else’s. T