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When I Get the Wrong Answer

Roo Bloom · Social Stories · roobloom.com

  1. I say my answerIn maths, I put my hand up and say my answer.
  2. It’s not the right answerMy teacher says, “Not quite. Let’s count again.”
  3. I might feel embarrassedI might feel embarrassed, cross or wobbly inside.
  4. Helping my bodyI can help my body feel steady again.

    I could try… Squeeze my hands, then let go · Have a drink of water · Count slowly · Hold my calm-down thing

  5. Everybody gets things wrongEverybody gets answers wrong sometimes. Grown-ups do too.
  6. Wrong answers help me learnA wrong answer helps my brain learn.
  7. I can try againI can try again. I can count on my fingers.
  8. I can askIf I feel stuck, I can ask my teacher.

    I can say: “Can you show me again?”

  9. I am not in troubleA wrong answer does not mean I am in trouble.
  10. It gets easierEach try gives my brain a little more practice.
  11. I am learningI am learning. I can feel proud that I had a go.

I can remember

  • My feelings are okay.
  • Wrong answers help my brain learn.
  • I can try again.
  • I can ask, “Can you show me again?”
  • I am learning every day.
For grown-ups

What this story teaches

That wrong answers are an ordinary, useful part of learning, that feeling embarrassed about one is allowed, and what to do next: steady the body, try again, or ask for help.

When to use it

  • Before maths, spelling tests or reading aloud, if getting it wrong is hard.
  • After a tearful homework session, on a calmer day.
  • When your child avoids answering in case they are wrong.

For this story

  • Get things wrong out loud yourself: “Oops, I counted wrong. Let me try again.”
  • Praise the having-a-go, not only the right answer: “You worked hard on that one.”
  • Ask the teacher how they respond to wrong answers in class, and use the same words at home.

How to use it

  • Read it together on a calm day, not mid-meltdown. In the hard moment itself, fewer words help more: stay close, keep everyone safe, and save the story for later.
  • Read it again just before a tricky moment you can see coming: on the way to the park, the night before a haircut.
  • Make it fit your child: skip pages, stop when they’ve had enough, swap a detail as you read so it matches your child’s day, or read only the “I can remember” card.
  • Add your child’s first name on the story’s opening page and it appears in a line or two. The name stays in this browser and is never sent anywhere.
  • Use the story’s words in real life (“No means not right now”), and model them when you hear “no” too.
  • Notice tries, not perfect calm. Big feelings are allowed; the story is about what to do with them.

Good to know

  • These stories are for everyday disappointments and changes. They never mean a child should put up with pain, fear, unsafe touch, bullying or anything that hurts — telling a trusted adult is always the right answer there.
  • Nothing here asks a child to make eye contact, hug anyone — family included — stop stimming or stop crying. Crying and moving are ways bodies cope, and headphones or a break are always allowed.
  • Where a story says a grown-up will do something — stop when a hand goes up, give a warning, keep a “later” spot — make sure it really happens, or change that page. A signal that isn’t honoured teaches a child their words don’t work.
  • The aim is understanding and choices, not a quiet or compliant child. Asking “why?”, saying no to touch and disagreeing in words are skills to welcome.
  • Visual stories help many children and not every child. Adapt, skip or change any page. This is an educational resource, not therapy or medical advice.