Safety
You are at during recess. A classmate pulls a lighter out of their backpack and dares you to help them light a small pile of dry leaves on fire, promising they won't tell anyone.
What do you do?
Say "That’s not safe, I'm out," walk away immediately, and report it to a teacher.
Your teacher just finished explaining a brand new math project, and everyone in the classroom starts grabbing materials and working. You look at your instruction sheet, but you realize you don't understand the first step at all and feel completely stuck.
What do you do?
Raise your hand and tell the teacher, "I listened to the directions, but I need you to explain step one in a different way, please."
You are scrolling through a group chat on a Saturday afternoon and see your three closest friends posting pictures together at an amusement park. You realize they planned the trip together and never invited you.
How do you think you might feel?
Hurt, left out, or invisible—and recognizing that it is okay to feel sad before deciding how to talk to them later.
Your friend accidentally deleted your video game save file that took you three months to beat. You feel a massive wave of anger heat up your face.
What coping strategy could you use?
- Pause and take a slow breath
- Take a walk
- Ask for space
A new student just moved here from another country. They are sitting completely alone at a lunch table, looking down at their food.
How do you think they feel?
Example Answer: They probably feel lonely, homesick, and overwhelmed.
You are at a crowded amusement park or mall, and you stop to look at a cool toy display. When you look up, you realize your family is completely out of sight, and you do not know which way they went.
What do you do?
Look for a store worker with a nametag or a security guard, and ask them for help.
You are hanging out with a group of classmates at recess, and they start playing a game where they mock and laugh at another student's haircut. They turn to you, hand you a ball, and say, "Go throw this at them and call them a funny name, or you can't hang out with us anymore."
What do you do?
Say, "No, I'm not going to do that because it's mean," and walk away to find a different group to play with
You forgot to read the chapter for your book report, so you look up a summary online and copy it word-for-word. The teacher hands it back with an "A" and praises you in front of the whole class for your "amazing writing."
How do you think you might feel?
Guilty, anxious about getting caught, and uncomfortable with praise that was not earned
The teacher is handing out a huge exam. Your heart starts racing, your sweaty palms shake, and your mind feels totally blank.
What coping strategy could you use?
Relax your body and slow your breathing
Drink some water
Use a stress ball
You and your friend are laughing at a funny video on your phone. Another classmate walks up to say hi, but your friend turns away and keeps watching the video without acknowledging them.
How do you think they feel?
Example Answer: They might feel ignored, hurt, and invisible.
You are in the living room and want to plug in your tablet charger. When you look at the wall outlet, you notice a long crack in the plastic cover, and the plug itself looks scorched and black around the metal prongs.
What do you do?
Do not touch the outlet or the plug. Leave it alone and tell an adult right away that the outlet is damaged.
You are at a convenience store after school with two friends. One of them slips a pack of candy into their jacket pocket without paying. They grab another pack, hand it to you, and whisper, "Put it in your backpack. The cashier isn't looking. Do it quick or you're a snitch!"
What do you do?
Put the candy back on the shelf immediately. Say, "I'm not stealing that," and walk straight out of the store to go home.
You spend hours painting a poster for a school art contest and feel incredibly proud of your work. When you hang it up, a classmate walks by, wrinkles their nose, and says, "Wow, you actually think that looks good? It looks like a toddler painted it."
How do you think you might feel?
Hurt, angry, or insecure—and realizing that one person's mean comment does not define the value of your hard work.
You got a bad grade, and got into an argument with your Mom. You just feel sad, heavy, and miserable.
What coping strategy could you use?
Take a walk in the backyard
Do a brain dump by writing all your worries on a notepad
Listen to music
Your best friend’s family dog, who they loved very much and grew up with, passed away over the weekend.
How do you think they feel?
Example Answer: They are probably feeling heartbroken, depressed, and deeply sad.
You are playing hide-and-seek with friends near a neighborhood garage or apartment dumpster. You find an open cardboard box filled with old, bright green liquid dripping from plastic bottles that have no labels. Your friend wants to poke it with a stick to see what it is.
What do you do?
Tell your friend to stop. Walk away from the box immediately and tell a trusted adult exactly where the bottles are.
You spent all night studying and got an A on a difficult science test. During lunch, your best friend realizes they forgot to study for the same test next period. They grab your graded paper and say, "Let me quickly copy your answers so I don't fail. If you're really my friend, you'll help me out!"
What do you do?
Take your test paper back. Say, "I can help you study for five minutes right now, but I'm not letting you copy my answers."
You are in a swim class with five other kids, and today the instructor is teaching everyone how to do the butterfly stroke. While the kid next to you gets it on their very first try and swims across the pool perfectly, you keep sinking, getting water up your nose, and coughing.
How do you think you might feel?
Frustrated, embarrassed, or left behind—and realizing that learning a new physical skill takes time and everyone learns at their own pace.
You make a mistake and start to feel sad.
What coping strategy could you use?
Tell yourself, “It’s okay to make mistakes. I can try again.”
Reason:
Kind self-talk helps your brain feel safer and makes it easier to keep going.
The teacher passes back a surprise quiz. The student sitting next to you gasps, quickly shoves their paper into their desk face-down, and puts their head in their hands.
How do you think they are feeling?
Example Answer: They likely feel embarrassed, disappointed, and stressed.
You walk into the kitchen to grab a snack and see a pot bubbling on the stove, but no one is in the room. Suddenly, smoke starts rising quickly from the pan, and the liquid inside begins to splash over the edges onto the burner.
What do you do?
Do not touch the pot or try to move it. Shout for an adult immediately and step back out of the kitchen.
You are choosing teams for a basketball game at recess, and you are named a team captain. Your friends crowd around you and whisper, "Do not pick the new kid. They look weird and they are terrible at sports. If you pick them, we are all going to quit your team and play on the other court."
What do you do?
Pick the student anyway. Look at your friends and say, "I am the captain, and everyone gets a turn to play. Let's just start the game."
Your swim instructor tells the class it is time to practice diving into the deep end of the pool. You have never dived into deep water before, your goggles keep slipping down your face, and your stomach feels like it is tying itself into knots as you stand in line waiting for your turn.
How do you think you might feel?
Nervous and pressured while standing in line; but relieved, safe, and proud of yourself for speaking up to your coach if you ask for a safer modification.
You are at a loud, chaotic school assembly. The bright flashing lights, screaming kids, and booming speakers are making you feel completely overwhelmed and trapped.
What coping strategy could you use?
Take a deep breath
Ask for some space
Squeeze a stress ball
A classmate is excitedly sharing a story. Before they can finish, another student loudly interrupts to tell a story about themselves, and the teacher moves on.
How do you think they feel?
Example Answer: They probably feel annoyed, unimportant, and frustrated.