Monday: Start the Conversation
A week that starts a conversation.
Introduce Red Ribbon Week as a starting point for year-round prevention. Students will explore healthy choices, connection and communication.
Tuesday: Talk, Listen, Connect
Have a 5–10 minute conversation.
Focus on connection, healthy choices and asking for help.
Students can discuss:
- Who are the adults you trust?
- What helps you when you're stressed?
- What makes it easier to make healthy choices?
- What would you do if a friend was struggling?
Try it at home
Ask 2–3 open-ended questions at dinner, in the car or before bed.
Examples:
- What helps you feel comfortable talking to someone when something is bothering you?
- What is one thing you can do when you’re feeling stressed, pressured or unsure?
Wednesday: Build a Skill Together
Teach one prevention skill.
Choose something students can use every day: handling stress, making decisions, managing peer pressure, coping with disappointment or asking for help.
Try it at home
Ask your child:“What’s one thing that helps you feel better when you’ve had a hard day?”
Then share your own answer. Talking about how we handle hard days helps kids see healthy coping in action
Thursday: Know Who’s in Their Corner
Create a trusted adult list.
Have students identify 3–5 trusted adults they could talk to if they have a problem, feel pressured or need help.
Try it at home
Ask parents to create their own list with their child. They can talk about:
- Who could you call if you needed help?
- Who could you talk to if you were worried about a friend?
- Who makes you feel safe and supported?
Big message: Kids need more than one person in their corner.
Friday: Prevention Is Every Day
Send prevention home.
Red Ribbon Week may be one week, but prevention happens every day — at school, at home and in our communities.
Try it at home
Complete one small challenge to complete with their family.
☐ Have a 10-minute conversation
☐ Do something together without screens
☐ Check in about stress
☐ Talk about making healthy choices
☐ Identify a trusted adult
☐ Ask, “How can I support you right now?”
Red Ribbon Week is just the beginning. Keep the conversation going all year with Parents Lead.