Adjusting to Life Changes Skills
Aligns with CASEL 5 & The ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies
Adjusting Anna is the first story from Powerful You (grades 2-adult.) Anna is used by schools and homes to help children manage transitions and encourages skills to adapt to changing situations and responsibilities. Anna also fosters a positive attitude toward work and learning.
20-Minute Lesson Plan
Launch Introduce the A-Z Powerful You theme.
Breathe and Stretch Practice self-awareness and self-management with the Powerful You free movement videos on this page. Simply hit play or gain a new movement idea for your toolbox.
Connect Read the true short story from the 8.5 x 11 laminated Powerful You Educator Cards.
Promote a Positive Mindset Stand tall and practice each story’s positive self-talk.
Reflect Social-awareness, relationship skills, and problem-solving skills escalate when students are given turn and talk time for each journaling prompt. Learn from them and allow optional sharing.
Role-play Students hold the Powerful You Educator Card and act out desired behaviors.
Leave an SEL Footprint Copy and display the Digital Powerful You Classroom Social Skill Sign.
Expand Use the Powerful You Kit or resources below. Make it your own! Be You! You are more powerful than you know!
“No same man could walk through the same river twice, as the man and the river have since changed.”
Additional Resources for Adjusting to Change, Helping Children Understand Divorce
A touching book showing all different types of family who give the most important ingredient, LOVE. Most people have an image in their mind of the perfect family. Currently, 30 percent of American families are headed by single parents who are divorced, widowed, or never married. This book does a beautiful job of recognizing differences in family structure, while celebrating that a family is LOVE. Definitely one of my favorite read alouds for any age on family change.
Powerful You! In The Middle Cookie Game is a fun memory-style matching game designed to help children understand an important message:
Kids are the good stuff in the middle of divorce.
Created for ages 5+ and playable with 2–6 players, this engaging game is played like Concentration while gently opening the door to emotional expression and healing conversations.
Children match:
Feeling words
Coping strategies
Empowering phrases
As they play, they learn to identify emotions, talk about difficult changes, and build resilience.
“Life is like a pickle. Sometimes it’s sweet & sometimes it’s sour.” — Patricia Kienzle
This game helps children recognize “sour pickle” feelings while discovering healthy ways to cope and grow stronger.
Perfect for:
School counselors
Teachers
Parents
Therapists
Small groups
Family support settings
Benefits:
Encourages communication
Builds emotional awareness
Supports children through divorce transitions
Makes hard conversations easier through play
Strengthens confidence and connection
Why Families Love It
Easy to learn, meaningful to play, and created with heart, this game reminds every child:
You are the good stuff in the middle.
Pom Pom Critters are fun to make with kids. They are also handy to have in the guidance office or home . When a child is having a "strong" feeling of sadness or worry, they love to put these on their shoulder for an extra WARM "fuzzy".
This book helps children understand depression.
This book is helpful to a child who is adjusting to a parent being in jail.
Sesame Street videos to help children with incarceraton and trauma. Click here.
Dealing with Divorce Game
A child's favorite book about adjusting in the 1800's. Great Florida History!
