Raising kids who care about others and the common good.
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Resources for Families

Welcome to Making Caring Common’s resources for families, parents, and caregivers! We offer activities, tips, resource lists, discussion guides, and more to help you raise caring and ethical children who are concerned about others and the common good.

Posts tagged Mental Health
Circles of Control

This activity is designed for parents and caregivers to use themselves to navigate difficult emotions and can also be used with their children to help them navigate difficult emotions together. Using the Circles of Control tool as a family is beneficial for lowering stress, handling tough emotions, and dealing with difficult situations. This approach involves understanding what is within or beyond your control and creating an action plan to navigate through these emotions and situations.

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Círculos de Control

Esta actividad está diseñada para que los padres y cuidadores puedan afrontar emociones difíciles y también puedan hacer esto con sus hijos para ayudarles a afrontar emociones difíciles juntos. Usar la herramienta Círculos de Control en familia es beneficioso para reducir el estrés, manejar emociones difíciles y afrontar situaciones difíciles. Este enfoque implica comprender lo que está dentro o fuera de su control y crear un plan de acción para navegar a través de estas emociones y situaciones.

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Positive Self-Talk and Problem-Solving

Practicing positive self-talk can be a powerful tool to support mental health, both for you and for your child. When negative thoughts or emotions arise, try this simple exercise to shift the focus to positive self-talk. In the brief steps below, you can use the examples for yourself or for guidance in what to share with your child. Children (including teens) need scaffolding or examples to help guide them in their own processing. 


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Diálogo Interno Positivo: Hablándote Como un Amigo o Amiga

Practicing positive self-talk can be a powerful tool to support mental health, both for you and for your child. When negative thoughts or emotions arise, try this simple exercise to shift the focus to positive self-talk. In the brief steps below, you can use the examples for yourself or for guidance in what to share with your child. Children (including teens) need scaffolding or examples to help guide them in their own processing. 


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Are You Putting Too Much Pressure on Your Child During the College Admission Process? Here Are Some Red Flags for Parents.

Intense achievement pressure, particularly in affluent communities, can generate high levels of stress, anxiety, and/or depression in young people. As parents, we need to be mindful of how we contribute to this pressure. These questions from Harvard’s Making Caring Common can help parents be alert to red flags that they may be putting too much pressure on their child(ren) in the college admissions process.

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