Parental Conversation
The best time to bring up something negative (bad grades, or a mistake, etc.) is...
When things are calm, not when they are in the middle of something/just walk in the front door.
Or in a therapy session.
If you can, bring up how you plan on solving the issue (the steps you plan to take) - this is not necessary for all issues, however. (If relevant: be prepared to apologize, even if it was not 100% your fault.)
Don't forget, they were your age once. They probably can empathize/they want you to tell them before anyone else does. Also, they cant help/defend you if you don't tell them the whole truth.
Pulling an "All-Nighter"
Coping skills: What is the difference between a positive one and a negative one?
What is 1 you can do at home and what are 3 you can do at school?
Positive ones don't make you feel better for only a split second, they don't hurt you or others around you, and sometimes they can work in multiple settings.
Examples:
Home - reset by yourself with a nap/snack, then ask the advice from someone around you.
School - deep breathe, stress ball, take a nap in the nurse's office if allowed
What's an easy way to start a conversation with a new person in class?
Compliment them (ask them a follow up question about what you just complimented and then find out things you have in common by talking about yourself - but not too much - keep it a conversation not a monologue).
If the thought of doing that makes you nervous, why?
What makes you a good friend? 5 things. Don't overthink it - just answer.
How would your friends describe you?
What do you think are the positive things that others believe about you / do you behave in that way lately? (Your "best self".)
How to get closer to your parent?
Tell them things that stress you out.
Ask them for their advice.
Joke with them.
Ask them stories about when they were your age/look for parallels to what you go through today.
Invite them into your hobbies/take an interest in theirs. Choose something from a list of bonding ideas (therapist list or your own).
What motivates you to go to school / why do you like getting good grades?
Maybe...
Being able to play sports (grade average requirements), rewards from your parent, award ceremony at the end of the year/honor roll throughout the year, teacher compliments, getting into a HS of your choosing, OR you like collecting cool facts to tell other people?
This organ pumps oxygen to your muscles as your brain is getting you ready for "fight or flight or freeze" mode.
The Heart
(Take notice when you experience a quicker heart rate or when you start to breathe quicker. Once you notice it, then choose a coping skill.)
"I want to make new friends/meet others, but I don't know what the first step can be..."
Join a club, start a club, stay after school if your school allows that - sign up for something where others your age will also be if it is an interest/consider trying something new. Think how you, eventually, can hang with that person not only at that one setting (golf friend turns into a movie-friend, or a mall-friend, etc.)
8th grade: a cool thing I will do before its over, a cool thing the school does before its over, how it'll be different than last year (for the better), who are the people that you have in your corner?
IDK, you tell me...
How to get your parent to listen to you?
Tell them what you need from them - (One of the three):
1. Please just listen to me (no advice, just vent)
2. I want advice (I can do the thing on my own)
3. I need you to do something with/for me related to the situation.
Talk confidently, but respectfully. Be aware of your body language as well. Parents love to see that their kid knows how to problem solve.
The difference between skimming a reading, scanning a reading, and actually reading it (book, textbook, reading section of a test, etc.)?
Skim - get the general idea
Scan - look for keywords/dates (like bolded vocab),
Read - gather all details you might get asked about. (Actually, reading things will help you become a better writer BTW.)
When you expect the worst-case scenario to happen.
Catastrophizing
Sportsmanship - tell a story of someone being a sore loser: what can you learn from that person's actions?
Tell a story of you being a mature winner: What made that moment so memorable?
You tell me...
Your response if someone said to you: "I'll be your friend if you help me cheat on this test" or "I wont be your friend if you don't help me cheat on this test".
Any commonsense response should be fine.
Friendship isn't built on owing other people.
If that were to happen, what new information about their personality would you have just learned?
If you get grounded / lose a privilege - what's the most mature question (in other words, not complaining) to ask during the conversation?
"What are the steps that I need to take to earn it back?"
What's the point of raising your hand in class? How can it help you?
A less obvious reason can be that you teachers don't really know you all that well/what you need help with. Especially in the beginning of the year.
Also: "Letters of recommendations"
Fact or Myth: "Crying, feeling stressed or overwhelmed, getting anxious, these all mean you are weak."
Myth:
You are human, allow your emotions to happen. Don't make a decision based off of emotion though. Listen to them when they happen; they are trying to communicate something to you (don't ignore them, sometimes they grow larger if you do that).
Take a second to think, and simply ask yourself: "I feel___, what should I do about it, and who can help me..."
Can you be doing something different with your time after school? Productive, fun, healthy - whatever.
With friends or family or by yourself?
If the usual stuff getting boring, change it.
Your friends start doing bad things and want you to join them, what's your strategy to get out of the situation?
"No." - that's a complete sentence. End of discussion.
"I like you guys, but I think that's bad idea/a mistake to do/I disagree with you."
"I'm not getting in trouble with my family over something like that."
What if they call you boring, or a teacher's pet, or chicken - would that matter to you?
Stuff to talk about with your parent.
Your thoughts and hopes for the future (high school and beyond, for example)
A fact they don't know about you
Questions you've wanted to ask him
The story of the last thing that made you laugh
Show him a song you like
Watching you play a video game
Ask about his job/how his day has been going
Make a plan for the weekend ahead
What's a way to respectfully disagree with a teacher that marks off an answer on a test that you know you got correct?
Calmly, one-on-one, be able to prove why you answered how you did.
What is the term for how you talk to yourself and how does this terms relate to self confidence?
List off 3 statements that you need to start saying to yourself more often.
Self-Talk:
How to talk to yourself (how you motivate yourself or don't motivate yourself) can become a good or bad habit. You can start to believe those things about yourself based on what statements you practice saying/thinking.
Middle School/High School is a test of "How good is your organization and time management?"
What do you already do / what can you start doing?
Define a "situational friend".
What are 3 other friendship red flags to look for?
Definition: Nice to you one-on-one, roasts you when other kids are around in order to impress others.
Other red flags:
Lies
Is only nice to you if you do stuff for them
Gets in trouble/has gotten you in trouble
You're calmer/more focused when you're not around them vs. when you're with them
You have to act like someone else when you're with them