Resources by Life Skills Topic - 4th Grade Families

Each of our class discussion topics are important for parents to reinforce at home. Below are additional resources for parents on each topic followed by a fun and interactive activity to try with your child.

Self-image

Parent's Guide to a Growth Mindset

Family Activity: Have your child write a letter to them self. This letter should include memorable things: friends, favorite music or movies, special people in their lives (such as grandparents or teachers) and activities they enjoy. Seal the letter in an envelope and have your child address it to him/herself. In one year, give the letter back to your child and discuss what has changed and why they might see themselves differently now.

Decision making

Family activity: Play "Would You Rather?" with your child. Ask your child one of the five questions below and them to think through their decision using the Stop, Think, Go (or clarify, consider choose) decision making process learned in Life Skills. Your child should 1) Stop: and identify problem (what are they deciding between) 2) Think: about their options, what are the consequences or outcomes of each decision? and 3) Go: your child should make the decision that is best for them. Once they have make their decisions discuss the decision making process with your child. Bonus: you can also answer the question, talking through your options and reasons for making your decision with your child. Did you both make the same decision?

Would you rather…

Live in a place that only has summer or a place that only has winter?
Only be able to crawl on all fours or only be able to walk backwards?
Be the worst player on a team that always wins or the best player on a team that always loses?
Be the funniest person alive or the smartest person alive?
Be able to fly or be invisible?

Smoking & Vaping

Family activity: Smoking cigarettes is not only harmful to one's health -- It also drains the wallet. Complete this worksheet with your child to find out more: Tobacco: Calculating the Costs

Advertising

Drinking It In: The Impact of Youth Exposure to Alcohol Advertising

Family activity: Ask your child to create an ad to sell one of their favorite toys/games. After they share their ad with you discuss why they shared the things they did about their product. Who would have been the target audience for their ad? And finally, ask them if they shared all the positives and negatives of using this product, why or why not?

Stress

Family activity: Print out 50 Coping Skills for Kids and have your child circle the coping techniques that work well for them when they are experiencing stress. If they have one that isn’t on the list, they can draw it! If they don’t yet have a coping technique that works for them, have them pick one to try.

Communication

Preventing Drug Use: Connection & Talking With Your Teen

Family Activity: To demonstrate that often both verbal and non-verbal communication are important in sending and receiving messages, ask your child to try and teach you something (from how to tie a shoe to shoot a basket) using only their non-verbal communication skills. Repeat this activity a second time and allow your child to use both verbal and non-verbal communication skills. When finished, discuss what part of the activity was hard and what was easy.

Social Skills

The Family Dinner Project Conversation Starters

Family activity: Create a telephone or resource book with your child that lists names and phone numbers of people your child could talk to if they were feeling negative peer pressure (this could include your cell phone number, grandparents phone number, the number of an older brother or sister). It could also include places they could go for help if they needed it or a list of people they could talk to if they felt peer pressure at school. When you finish writing the names and numbers your child can color and decorate the book!

Assertiveness

Family activity: It is sometimes difficult for children to say “no” to a friend. Assertiveness means being able to stand up for yourself calmly and firmly while remaining polite. Role play with your child to help them practice how to respond when someone is trying to pressure them into using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs.

Problem Gambling

Bullying and Cyberbullying

Family activity: Make a Kindness Catcher -- a fun way to inspire ideas for being kind to others.

Family activity: Try the Wrinkled Heart Activity with your family. It provides children with a powerful visual that shows the harmful effects hurtful words or behavior have on someone.