Grade K-3

Common challenges:

• Exposure to alcohol in media or during family events
• Growing curiosity about adult behaviors

Quick tips:

• Start basic conversations: “Alcohol changes how your brain and body work — that’s why kids shouldn’t drink.”
• Focus on safety: Explain that drinking can make people unsafe when driving or making choices.
• Reinforce healthy choices: Praise them for making good decisions about food, safety, and self-control.
• Model what moderation looks like: If you drink, show responsibility — and talk about limits.

How to respond:

• If they ask why some adults act silly after drinking, say: “Alcohol can make people act differently. That’s why we’re careful about it.”

Signs to watch for:

• Curiosity about drinking or parties
• Talking about alcohol or imitating behaviors seen on TV
• Asking why adults drink

Common challenges:

• Worrying about school performance or friends
• Fears around safety or getting hurt
• Irritability, mood swings

Tips for parents:

• Teach naming and talking about feelings: Encourage them to describe worries and frustrations.
• Introduce problem-solving skills: “What can we do if you feel scared at school?”
• Keep routines and rituals: Breakfast, bedtime, homework routines offer security.
• Practice relaxation together: Short breathing exercises, listening to music, or guided imagery.

Signs to watch for:

• Avoiding school or activities they used to enjoy
• Frequent physical complaints without clear cause
• Sleep problems

Common challenges:

• Increased awareness of appearance and peer comments
• Early teasing or bullying about looks

Tips for parents:

• Reinforce uniqueness: Celebrate skills, creativity, and kindness, not appearance.
• Limit exposure to appearance-focused media: Talk about filters, photoshop, and marketing tricks.
• Encourage active play: Emphasize fun and health over body shape or weight.

Signs to watch for:

• Commenting on wanting to look like friends or characters
• Avoiding activities due to appearance concerns

Common challenges:

• Trouble with memory, attention, or processing information
• Frustration with schoolwork or social interactions
• Emotional lability (sudden mood changes)

Tips for parents:

• Communicate with teachers: Ensure accommodations for learning challenges.
• Set structured routines: Predictable schedules help manage cognitive fatigue.
• Use visual reminders and checklists: Supports independence in tasks.
• Encourage small successes: Celebrate achievements to build confidence.

Signs to watch for:

• Decline in academic performance
• Social withdrawal or irritability
• Fatigue or headaches that impact daily activities

Common challenges:

• Teasing, name-calling, or social exclusion
• Difficulty asserting themselves or asking for help

Tips for parents:

• Teach assertive communication: Practice saying “Stop, I don’t like that” calmly.
• Build social confidence: Encourage friendships and cooperative activities.
• Monitor online activity: Introduce early lessons about kindness and appropriate online behavior.
• Collaborate with school staff: Teachers can help monitor and address bullying.

Signs to watch for:

• Complaints of classmates being mean
• Avoiding school or social situations
• Drop in grades or participation

Common challenges:

• Curiosity about money, games, and prizes
• Exposure to apps or online games with “loot boxes” or rewards based on chance

Quick tips:

• Talk about chance vs. skill: Help them understand that gambling depends on luck, not talent.
• Limit exposure: Monitor online games with in-app purchases or gambling-like features.
• Encourage saving: Use allowance or chores to teach responsible money habits.
• Model honesty about risk: Explain that gambling can make people lose more than they win.

How to respond:

• If your child asks to buy something in a game for a “chance to win,” explain: “That’s like gambling — it’s better to use your money for something you know you’ll get.”

Common challenges:

• Developing understanding of right vs. wrong behaviors
• Curiosity about what substances are and why some people use them

Tips for parents:

• Talk about how substances affect the body and brain: Use age-appropriate language (“It can make you very sick or hurt your brain”).
• Model healthy choices: Talk openly about taking care of your body through food, sleep, and activity.
• Encourage questions: Be open, calm, and factual when they ask about drugs or medicines.
• Build refusal skills early: Teach them to say “No thanks” or walk away from unsafe situations.

Signs to watch for:

• Imitating unsafe behaviors they’ve seen in others
• Curiosity or fascination with adult substances

Common challenges:

• Adjusting to new schools, teachers, or routines
• Early awareness of family or social changes

Tips for parents:

• Prepare in advance: Visit new schools or introduce new caregivers before the change.
• Discuss feelings openly: Let them know it’s normal to feel nervous or sad.
• Encourage social connections: Help them maintain friendships or make new ones.
• Celebrate small successes: Praise efforts to adapt to changes.

Signs to watch for:

• Anxiety about school or activities
• Difficulty making friends or joining in
• Decline in school performance

Common challenges:

• Growing interest in video games and online content
• Beginning exposure to online ads or unsafe links

Tips for parents:

• Establish family screen rules: Consistent limits for daily use and content.
• Use parental controls: Set privacy and age filters on devices.
• Watch and play together: Helps guide how they process what they see.
• Encourage balance: Screen-free time every day for reading, outdoor play, or creative activities.

Signs to watch for:

• Increased moodiness or arguments about screen limits
• Difficulty stopping games or shows
• Exposure to inappropriate content

Common challenges:

• Developing friendships and handling disagreements
• Learning fairness, honesty, and empathy

Tips for parents:

• Talk about what makes a good friend: Trust, kindness, respect, and listening.
• Coach conflict resolution: “How can you fix this?” or “What can we do differently next time?”
• Encourage teamwork: Sports, group activities, or chores build collaboration.
• Model honesty and forgiveness: Show how to repair and maintain relationships.

Signs to watch for:

• Frequent peer conflicts or bullying behavior
• Loneliness or avoidance of social activities
• Strong dependence on adults to solve conflicts

Common challenges:

• Awareness of gender and body differences
• Exposure to sexualized media or peer behaviors

Tips for parents:

• Teach consent and respect: Emphasize asking permission and respecting “no.”
• Talk about private vs. public behaviors: Make sure children understand boundaries.
• Use teachable moments: Address media, books, or questions about bodies in a factual way.
• Encourage open dialogue: Make them feel safe to ask questions about their bodies.

Signs to watch for:

• Persistent inappropriate sexual questions or play
• Fear or shame about their own body

Common challenges:

• Struggling to understand emotions or the concept of death
• Feeling guilt or self-blame when things go wrong

Tips for parents:

• Normalize emotions: Teach that it’s okay to feel sad, angry, or frustrated.
• Encourage talking about problems: Ask, “Who could you talk to if you feel really sad?”
• Build confidence: Praise effort and perseverance, not perfection.
• Stay connected: Know their friends, teachers, and routines.

Warning signs to watch for:

• Statements about wanting to disappear or run away
• Frequent sadness or hopelessness
• Changes in eating, sleeping, or school performance

Common challenges:

• Exposure to tobacco use by peers or in media
• Curiosity about experimenting

Tips for parents:

• Teach clear rules: Explain that smoking and vaping are unsafe and not allowed.
• Discuss media critically: Explain that ads or movies can make smoking look fun but it is unhealthy.
• Praise healthy role models: Highlight athletes, family members, or characters who stay tobacco-free.
• Encourage peer support: Help them form friendships with peers who make healthy choices.

Signs to watch for:

• Asking where to get cigarettes or vape products
• Expressing curiosity or interest in tobacco

Common challenges:

• Learning healthy routines independently
• Balancing school, play, and social interactions

Tips for parents:

• Maintain predictable routines: Sleep, meals, and homework help structure the day.
• Teach self-care habits: Brushing teeth, washing hands, and dressing appropriately.
• Encourage physical activity: Sports, games, or active play for both fun and health.
• Promote mindfulness: Simple breathing exercises or quiet moments can help manage big feelings.

Signs to watch for:

• Skipping meals, poor hygiene, or low physical activity
• Difficulty managing emotions or friendships
• Complaints of tiredness or lack of energy