Cooking up solutions
Faith & feelings
Anime protagonist
Inner strength
Staying on track + finding balance
100
When following a recipe, missing an ingredient can ruin the dish. In friendships, what’s something important that, if missing, can ruin a relationship?
Examples: respect, honesty, healthy communication
100
Jesus often took time to pray alone when he was overwhelmed. What’s something you can do when feeling stressed or upset?
Examples: journal, pray, deep breathing, take a walk, playing with a pet, taking care of something or someone else, making a list of things you're grateful for, eating a yummy snack, asking someone to be there for you
100
Many anime protagonists, like Luffy from One Piece, refuse to give up even when things are hard. What’s something you’ve stuck with even when it was difficult?
Any personal example related to school, homework, sports, friendships, sticking with a hobby, choosing to be kind even when others aren't, trying to actively listen even when I disagree, trying to focus in class even when I feel restless, trying to be respectful to a teacher even when they're not my favorite person.
100
Sometimes we can be our toughest critics. How can you challenge negative thoughts like “I’m worthless” or “I’m a bad person”?
Examples: Recognize that everyone makes mistakes, remind yourself of your good qualities, talk to someone you trust, or use positive affirmations to change the negative thoughts
100
Like when Luffy gets distracted but always comes back to his main goal, how can you refocus when you get sidetracked during school or chores?
Examples: Take a short break, break tasks into smaller pieces, set a timer to stay on track, and remind yourself of the bigger goal.
200
Just like cooking, problem-solving requires the right tools. What’s one emotional regulation tool you can use when feeling frustrated with a friend?
Examples: deep breathing, 12345 technique, counting, asking for a break, shaking it out, finger touches, squeezing a toy
200
What’s a Bible verse or lesson that helps you when you’re struggling with emotions like anger or frustration?
Example: Pslam 91, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (What is love?), James 1:19 (Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry)
200
Magicians in The Magician’s Elephant believe something is impossible until they see it happen. What’s an example of a negative thought that makes something seem impossible but isn’t actually true? (HINT: think of cognitive distortions!)
Examples: "I can't do this", "no one likes me", "I'm a failure", "I don't deserve to be happy", "I feel like I'm stupid", "I messed up a few times which means I'll mess up forever", "my mom is angry at me, she must hate me and not want me".
200
Self-harm might feel like a way to cope with intense emotions. What are some healthier ways to cope when you’re feeling overwhelmed?
Examples: Try deep breathing, exercise, journaling, talking to someone, drawing, or practicing mindfulness to calm your mind and manage emotions, pray, practice gratitude, try a new recipe, draw, play games, call a friend, talk to a parent
200
In The Magician’s Elephant, Peter keeps going despite facing many setbacks. What’s something you can do when you get frustrated and feel like giving up, especially on things you have to do like homework or chores?
Examples: taking a deep breath and calming down, breaking the task into smaller parts, asking for help or advice, rewarding myself after completing a part, remembering how good it feels to finish, taking a short break to reset, focusing on the importance of finishing, and looking for a new approach if stuck.
300
When cooking, adding too much spice can make a dish overwhelming. In an argument, what is something that can “spice up” a situation in a bad way?
Examples: yelling, name-calling, not listening, using blaming words like "you always", pointing fingers, cursing, threatening, throwing things
300
The Tale of Despereaux teaches about bravery and forgiveness. How can forgiveness help when someone upsets you?
Examples: help you move forward without carrying anger, give you peace of mind, prevent conflict from getting worse, and allow relationships to heal. Even if you don’t stay friends, forgiveness helps you let go instead of staying stuck in resentment.
300
Just like Dungeon Meshi characters plan before facing monsters, what’s one way you can prepare yourself for a stressful situation with a friend, teacher, or parent?
Examples: Plan what to say, stay calm, use coping skills like deep breathing, take a break if needed, focus on finding solutions, express feelings with "I" statements, and seek advice from a trusted person. Plan how to act if things don't go your way.
300
In The Wild Robot, Roz learns how to adapt and solve problems. When you're feeling overwhelmed or "bad," what’s something you can do to turn the situation around?
Examples: Take a step back, focus on problem-solving, use calming strategies like deep breathing, and remind yourself that it’s okay to ask for help, just like Roz does.
300
In Dungeon Meshi, the team needs to communicate and plan to beat monsters. When you feel like reacting quickly or arguing, how can you pause and think before responding?
Examples: take a deep breath, count to 5, or walk away for a second to cool down and think about my response
400
If you burn a dish, you can either throw it away or find a way to fix it. What’s an example of a time you handled a mistake in a positive way?
Any personal example where you problem-solved :)
400
Smiskis can glow in the dark, just like people can shine their light in tough times. What’s something you do that helps bring light to others even when you’re struggling?
Examples: encouraging friends, helping others, staying kind even when upset, making someone laugh, helping out at home, or sharing something positive about your faith.
400
Luffy often faces fears and obstacles to protect others. What’s something you’ve done that was scary, but you pushed through because it was important?
Examples: speaking up in class, standing up for a friend, trying a new activity, confronting a difficult situation
400
When you feel like you're “bad” or “not good enough,” what are some things you can do to remind yourself of your worth?
Examples: Reflect on your strengths, think about the positive things others have said about you, write down achievements, or remember times when you’ve helped others.
400
In The Tale of Despereaux, Despereaux faces challenges and doesn’t always follow the rules. How can you use your creativity to solve a problem instead of acting out or being oppositional?
Examples: brainstorming different solutions, writing down my feelings instead of yelling, finding a compromise that works for both sides, drawing or doodling to express frustration, using humor to lighten the situation, taking a step back and thinking before reacting, asking questions to understand the problem better, and finding a way to take a break and reset before responding.
500
In cooking, sometimes you need to adjust a recipe if something doesn’t go as planned. How can you adjust your approach when things aren’t going the way you want at school or home?
Examples: ask for help, break the issue down into more manageable pieces, change my environment like moving to a quieter spot, take a really deep breath, smell something nice!
500
When you feel like you’ve messed up and start feeling guilty, how can your faith or something you believe in help you move forward instead of staying stuck in negative thoughts?
Examples: remind myself that everyone makes mistakes and that I can ask for forgiveness, reflect on what I can learn from the situation, or take comfort in knowing I’m still loved and accepted no matter what.
500
Zoro and Sanji often have arguments, but they always come together when it counts. If you had a disagreement with a friend, how could you handle it without letting the fight get worse?
Examples: Stay calm, listen to their side, apologize if necessary, express how you feel without yelling, and find a way to resolve things together
500
Like the characters in Creature Commandos who work together to overcome challenges, how can reaching out to a friend or family member help when you're feeling like you're not good enough or bad?
Example: Talking to someone you trust can help you feel heard, supported, and remind you that you don’t have to go through tough times alone, just like the Creature Commandos team working together.
500
Sometimes, when people ask us to do things, it feels like they're telling us what to do. How can you stay focused and get things done without feeling like you’re just being told what to do, especially when you're frustrated?
Examples: Try asking questions to understand the reason behind the request, suggest an alternative solution, take ownership of the task by setting my own mini-goals, or focus on the benefits of getting it done, like having more time later.
