My four-year-old, Tate, doesn’t handle disappointment well. Or, at all. If events don’t go exactly as he has imagined, it’s meltdown mania. For instance, if he opens a present and finds a book instead of the Legos he was hoping for, the wails start. Or, if an oat falls off the granola bar while removing the packaging, he refuses to eat it. Or, if his drive-through Taco Bell cheesy roll up is “smushed,” he screams the entire way home. Obviously, the kid has a future as a Hollywood diva. So, how do I manage this kid’s expectations for the next 20 years?

Perhaps this is why I was so struck by Annie. Annie (Quevenhane Wallis) is an abandoned child growing up in the foster care program who handles disappointment extraordinarily well. For instance, she shows up every Friday to the restaurant where she knows her parents would eat in hopes of seeing them – but never does. She’s also ordered to spend her Saturdays cleaning rather than having fun. And, when asked to stay at a billionaire’s house for publicity purposes, she’s grateful for what she’s offered and doesn’t ask for more. Unfortunately, Annie is resilient because she’s lived “a hard-knock life.”

Movies offer a way for kids to understand the world around them, and that includes how to handle disappointment. And while Forrest Gump isn’t appropriate for all ages, here’s my list of films that show kids “life is a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get.”

For preschool-age kids:

Planes: Fire and Rescue: Dusty loves racing, but the crop duster was never meant for speed and it’s finally taking a toll on him. When Dusty is grounded, he is so upset he acts self-destructively, pushing his mechanics to the limit – and accidentally destroys public property. After realizing that acting on his frustrations isn’t helpful, Dusty changes his focus into being useful and winds up being a better plane for it. Rated PG.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: Flint Lockwood’s inventions – and life – haven’t been quite the success story he’d hoped. Sometimes he needs cheering up from his friends and family, but in the end, he realizes he has a gift and that great inventions come from the cycle of trying and failing. Rated PG.

The Lego Movie: Wyld Style does everything in her power to be “The Special,” the one prophesied to save the world. But, it’s not to be. Wyld Style doesn’t wallow – instead, she stays the course, helps the cause and eventually her team work leads to victory. Rated PG.

For elementary school-age kids:

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day: An entire family suffers a day where nothing goes right. Instead of getting mad and lashing out, they all roll with the punches and everything works out, sometimes for the better. Rated PG.

Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer: Fourth grader Judy is bummed that her parents are taking off for the summer, leaving her and her little brother behind with her Aunt Opal: no summer vacation trip for them. Judy tries to make the best of it by concocting a contest with her friends to compete for the most thrilling summer. When her plans flop time and time again, she decides to stay indoors for the remaining weeks, but by the movie’s end, it’s clear that she’s had an amazing summer – it just wasn’t what she expected. Rated PG.

Surf’s Up: Cody suffers quite a few blows: his family doesn’t believe he can be a great surfer, he mega wipes out on national television during a surf competition, and his childhood idol looks to be a dud. Cody perseveres and comes to realize “the win” is living a life he can be proud of. Rated PG.

Wreck-It Ralph: Ralph’s in a box, well a game, actually. He’s the bad guy. That’s his label and he can’t escape it in his world. He’s upset that he is the one who everyone hates because he’s just doing his job. Instead of dwelling in resentment and becoming a true villain, he sets out to change his fate – and eventually does. Rated PG.

For tweens

Bad News Bears: While both the 1976 (rated PG) and 2005 (rated PG-13) versions each have their share of inappropriateness, it’s a classic film that’s all about handling disappointment. Whether relating to Coach Buttermaker, who is given the league’s worst team, or the kids on that team, nobody’s happy to be a Bear. But, when life gives you motley crew, make a Motley Crue. Buttermaker recruits two exceptional players and the team rallies until they’re the rock stars of Little League. Winning? Who needs it?

Dolphin Tale 2: Although Hazel works in the operating room of her family-run marine hospital, her dad doesn’t take her seriously. Hazel funnels her frustration into a speech on why her role adds value – and wins her dad’s respect. Rated PG.

Singin’ in the Rain: An aspiring actress is waiting for her big break and just when it looks like it’s happening, it turns out, another actress will be credited with her work. Despite her reservations, she continues on to help a friend and the truth is revealed. Rated G.

For teens:

Jobs: For teens, this biopic of Apple founder Steve Jobs is a great lesson in moving forward while enduring rejection. Steve Jobs wasn’t initially the shiny, polished apple who changed the world – he hears “no” a lot, some initial success ends in failure, he perceives a friend (Bill Gates to be precise) has stolen his software and ideas, and he is eventually fired from running the company he founded. While Steve Jobs doesn’t always behave in ways that are socially acceptable, seeing how a real person overcomes bumps in the road can be beneficial. Rated PG-13.

Legally Blonde: When Elle’s longtime boyfriend decides she’s not marriage material, Elle doesn’t spend a week in a KFC eating herself into a chicken coma. Instead, she decides to go to law school to prove she’s just as good as he is. While changing one’s career path for a guy isn’t anything parents want to encourage, in this case, Elle didn’t dwell on the negative and instead made an active choice to improve herself and her own future. Making her ex regret the breakup is just icing on the cake. Rated PG-13.

Meatballs: The teens of Camp North Star are incredibly disappointed and defeated when the rich kids from Camp Mohawk defeat them by cheating in the annual Olympiad. Bill Murray plays the camp counselor who rouses the crew with the chant, “It just doesn’t matter.” And for many of the disappointing moments in a teen’s life, it doesn’t. Rated PG.

When the Game Stands Tall: When a beloved coach falls sick and must take a break from the team, the De La Salle Spartans’ 151-game winning streak comes to an end. Disappointed? Sure. Tears are shed by some tough teen boys. But, the Spartans are resilient. The team doesn’t splinter or finger point, instead, they go back to the drawing board and figure out how to work together to start succeeding. Rated PG.