Our resources are intended to make your journey as a parent, caregiver, teacher, or friend, as smooth as possible.
“I keep my CARES handouts posted to my pantry wall, and with each child, I go back to the basics (i.e, the 24 hour rule, avoid being your child’s best friend, resist the urge to rescue, and many more). These nuggets have provided a sense of security and sanity through many challenging moments of childrearing.”
LINDA C., MOM OF MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS
Resource Topics
An Open Letter to Parents Who Let Their Kids Party at Home
Dangers of Prescription Drug Abuse
How to Talk With Your Kids About Vaping
How to Talk to Your Teen About Drug Use
How JUUL made Nicotine Go Viral video
Juul – What Parents Need to Know about Juuling
Juul Users Inhaling Chemicals Not Listed
Message In A Bottle Fairfield County: The Underage Drinking and Weed Capital of the Country
NIDA – National Institute of Drug Abuse
No such thing as safe teen drinking
Properly Dispose of Unwanted/Unused Meds
Questions to Ask a Doctor or Pharmacist
The Hub: Behavioral Health Action Organization for Southwestern CT
Teen Vaping: What You Need to Know
Teens & Vaping – The Power of Parents
Vaping and Adolescence – Straight Talk with Tracey Video
SLIDES – Riding the Roller Coaster of the Adolescent Brain, Ruth A. Potee, MD
VIDEO – Riding the Roller Coaster of the Adolescent Brain, Ruth A. Potee, MD
7 Parent Tips on How to Prepare your Student for College
How Parents Are Robbing Their Children of Adulthood
How to Help a Teenager Be College-Ready
How to Talk Help a Teenager Be College-Ready
Learning that my children’s college choices don’t define them. Or me.
6 ways parents can help kids strike a balance between screen time and the real world
30 Days of Family – Tips to Help Monitor and Manage Technology in Your Home
Everyone Else Has One! Making Decisions About New Apps and Devices
Exploring Kids Anxiety with Digital Devices and Social Media
Family Online Safety Institute website
Four Reasons Why Your Family Should Avoid Bedroom Media
How Much is Too Much Video Gaming
How to Say “No” Effectively When Setting Screen Limits
Internet Safety Concepts website (setting parental controls and more)
Internet Safety Tips for Parents
“Is My Child Ready for a Cell Phone?”
Parenting with your Values in the Digital Age
Screen Time Controls Right on the Devices!
Should I Let My Child Use This App?
“So you’ve got parental controls. Now What?”
Teaching Kids to Live Well Digitally Even When No One is Watching
Technology: Monitoring & Managing at Home, Jake Kircher
Teen Tech Lingo Parents Should Know
The Case for Creative Play in a Digital Age
This Parenting Trick Could Help You Curb Your Kids’ Tech Addiction
Developmental Responses to Grief
Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event
How to Handle Holidays After a Death in the Family
How to Talk to Your Child About Difficult News
The Dougy Center – The National Center for Grieving Children and Families
Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event
American Academy Of Pediatrics Recommends Doctors Prescribe ‘Play’ To Children
Flying Solo: Raise an Independent Kid
Growing Independence: Tips for Parents of Young Children
If you want your kid to get a good job, let them play more
The Case for Creative Play in a Digital Age
The Key to Raising a Happy Child
Tips, Tools and Takeaways On How To Empower Your Preschooler
5 Empowering Ways to Get Your Kids to Listen
10 Tips for Raising Grateful Kids
100+ Questions You Can Ask Your Kids That Will Make You a Better Parent
American Academy Of Pediatrics Recommends Doctors Prescribe ‘Play’ To Children
Cooperative Games for Kids and Families that are tech free and promote kindness and empathy
How Parents Are Robbing Their Children of Adulthood
How To Get The Most Out of Parent – Teacher Conferences For Both You and Your Child
How to Get Your Kids Excited About Chores
How to Stay Calm When You Feel Like Losing It With Your Teen
How to Take the Stress Out of the Holidays
How to Talk to Your Child About Difficult News
How to Talk to Your Middle Schooler (so they might actually listen to you)
How to Talk to Kids About Sex and Consent
How to talk to Children about suicide: an age by age guide
If you want your kid to get a good job, let them play more
Mindful Parenting – How to Teach Your Kids Mindfulness
Nurturing Your Child in a Fast-Paced World, Alexandra Potts
Parenting 101 – Tips for Parents
Raising Confident Decision Makers
Talking to Your Kids About the Jennifer Dulos Case
Teaching Kids about Boundaries and Empathy
Teens and Dating/Romantic Relationships
Teens and Suicide: What Parents Should Know
The Best (and Hardest) Thing We Can Do to Prepare our Teens for Adulthood
The Family Gathering: A Survival Guide
The Key to Raising a Happy Child
The Letter your teenagers wishes he/she could write you.
Tips for Communicating With Your Teen
Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event
What NOT to Do When Your Child is Having a Tantrum
Building Resilience in Children
Developing a Positive Attitude
How Parents Are Robbing Their Children of Adulthood
How to build your child’s self-esteem
How to Raise Kids who are Comfortable in their own Skin
Positive Notes to Your Middle Schooler
Resilience and Empowerment, Chris Bogart
Stress, Resilience & Accountability, Frank Bartolomeo
72 Phrases to Calm an Anxious Child
Anxiety Relief Tools for Kids Big and Small
Apps & Websites for Mental Wellness
Exploring Kids Anxiety with Digital Devices and Social Media
How to Help Children Calm Down
How to Help Children Manage Fears
How to Take the Stress Out of the Holidays
Just Breathe! Learn How to Square Breathe!
Kids’ anxiety can spike during the summer. Here’s why, and what parents can do to help.
Link to Mindfulness/Meditation Resource- Community Mindfulness Project
Parenting Tips for Managing Stress and Anxiety
Recommended Books for Stress and Anxiety in Children & Teens
*Recommended books are available in the NC CARES’ free lending library located at 91 Elm Street above the NC Playhouse.
Talking to Teens About Anxiety
Tips for Helping a Child With Anxiety
Tips for Talking to Your Child About Stress
All Fortnited Out: 7 Steps to Good Digital Parenting Handout
All Fortnited Out: Taking Control of Video Games Handout
All Fortnited Out: Talking Points Handout
Build Extraordinary Relationships with Your Tween/Teen Through Daily Conversation – VIDEO, Amy Alamar, EdD
Build Extraordinary Relationships with Your Tween/Teen Through Daily Conversation – SLIDES, Amy Alamar, EdD
College Transition After The Drop Off! – VIDEO
Endurance Parenting Tips – HANDOUT
Endurance Parenting for Today – VIDEO
Financial Fitness for Women – SLIDES
Friendship Matters: Fostering Connections in Childhood – HANDOUT
Friendship Matters: Fostering Connections in Childhood – VIDEO
Help Your Child Get Organized & Plan Ahead for Success in School with Less Stress – HANDOUT
Help Your Child Get Organized & Plan Ahead for Success in School with Less Stress – VIDEO
How to Support Your Kids and Yourself When Dealing with Difficult Topics – VIDEO
How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen – SLIDES
How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen – VIDEO
Mindful Brain Breaks – HANDOUT
Power and Purpose of Play – SLIDES, Beth O’Brien, Head of Early Childhood, New Canaan Country School
Power and Purpose of Play – VIDEO, Beth O’Brien, Head of Early Childhood, New Canaan Country School
Preschool/Elementary: Positive Discipline – VIDEO
Pressure to be Perfect – HANDOUT
Pressure to be Perfect – VIDEO
Raising Humans in a Digital World – VIDEO
Reefer Sanity – SLIDES, Kevin A. Sabet, PhD
Reefer Sanity – VIDEO, Kevin A. Sabet, PhD
Riding the Roller Coaster of the Adolescent Brain – SLIDES, Ruth A. Potee, MD
Riding the Roller Coaster of the Adolescent Brain – VIDEO, Ruth A. Potee, MD
Staying Calm in the Storm – SLIDES, Julie Hall, MBA, MS LMFT
Staying Calm in the Storm – VIDEO, Julie Hall, MBA, MS LMFT
Summer Enrichment – SLIDES, Ellen Brezovsky, Executive Director, NC Cares
Tantrums, Toys and Traditions – HANDOUTS, Barbara McLaughlin
Tantrums, Toys and Traditions – SLIDES, Barbara McLaughlin
Tantrums, Toys and Traditions – VIDEO Part 1, Barbara McLaughlin
Tantrums, Toys and Traditions – VIDEO Part 2, Barbara McLaughlin
Tantrums, Toys and Traditions – VIDEO Part 3, Barbara McLaughlin
Tantrums, Toys and Traditions – VIDEO Part 4, Barbara McLaughlin
Tantrums, Toys and Traditions – VIDEO Part 5, Barbara McLaughlin
The Panini Generation – VIDEO
Tips to Start Your Year Off Right – HANDOUT
Transition to Kindergarten – SLIDES, NCPS
Transition to Kindergarten – VIDEO, NCPS
Typical Tween/Teen Behavior or Cause for Concern? – VIDEO Part 1, Tracey Masella, LCSW
Typical Tween/Teen Behavior or Cause for Concern? – VIDEO Part 2, Tracey Masella, LCSW
Understanding the Teenage Brain: The Keys to a Positive Relationship HANDOUT
Understanding the Teenage Brain: The Keys to a Positive Relationship VIDEO
Wellness Works! – Children’s Mental Health HANDOUT
Wellness Works! – Esther Blum Recipes HANDOUT
What is (wrong) Right with my Child– HANDOUT, Alexandra Potts
What is (wrong) Right with my Child– SLIDES, Alexandra Potts
What to Do With All This Screen Time – VIDEO, Diana Graber