Caveat Cares · Grades 6 to 8

Big feelings,
steady hands.

A self-paced course for middle schoolers on self-regulation: notice a feeling early, name it, calm the body, check the thought, handle the conflict, and know when to ask for help.

Buy nowSee the modules
6modules
18lessons
about 12hours

Who it is for

Students in grades 6 to 8. Middle school brings bigger feelings, faster friendships and more pressure, often all in the same week. Steady teaches the skills that make those weeks more manageable, in a voice written for this age: group chats, team tryouts, presentations, siblings and lunch tables.

It works for one student at home, and teachers and counselors can use it with a small group.

How it teaches

  • Short lessons with worked examples from everyday middle school life.
  • A 1 to 5 check-in scale that students use all course long, matched to the tools that fit each level.
  • Body tools first, then tools for attention and thoughts, then a personal plan.
  • Thinking traps by name, and four questions to check a worried thought.
  • I-statements, reflective listening and apologies that repair.
  • Clear signs that it is time to tell a trusted adult, and the 988 crisis line.

6 modules

Quick checks, a practice set and a module check in each; an explain-it-back moment and a short written response; then a final and a certificate of completion.

  1. Noticing feelings in the bodyWhat a feeling is; Your body's alarm system; A body check-in
  2. Naming feelingsWhy naming helps; Building a feelings vocabulary; Mixed feelings, and feelings versus actions
  3. Regulation strategiesTools for the body; Tools for attention and thoughts; Building your own plan
  4. Thinking trapsThoughts, feelings and actions; Common thinking traps; Checking a thought
  5. Conflict and repairWhat happens in a conflict; Listening and solving problems together; Repair, and knowing when to step away
  6. Asking for helpWhen it is more than a bad day; Who to ask and how; Your steady plan

Steady

Self-paced on any device: about 20 to 30 minutes a lesson. Progress saves in the browser on the device your student uses.

Buy now adds the course to your cart; check out with a card and the course is yours to keep. With a Caveat family code or a school license that includes courses, the button opens the course.

The steady plan

The last lesson pulls everything into one card a student keeps: early warning signs, five precise feeling words, tools by level, the thinking trap they fall into most and a balanced thought, one conflict move to practice, and two trusted adults plus 988.

For parents

Ask your student to show you the steady plan and to name their two trusted adults. Steady pairs well with Understanding the Teenage Years: A Course for Parents and, for worries that last, Understanding Anxiety: A Course for Parents.

What this course is not

Caveat Cares is education. Its courses and lessons teach everyday social-emotional skills; they are not therapy, counseling or a diagnosis, and they do not replace care from a doctor, a school counselor or a licensed mental health professional. It does not ask students to share private information, and nothing a student types in a lesson is sent anywhere.

In a crisisIf you or someone you know is in crisis, talk to a trusted adult or call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911. The 988 Lifeline is free and confidential, by call, text or chat at 988lifeline.org.

The other branches

One brand. Seven branches. Every grade, every next step.

For teachersCaveat Classroom

Resources made to order, free tools, professional development, certification prep.

For studentsCaveat Academy

Self-paced courses for grades 6 to 12, from full-year classes to AP and SAT prep.

For parentsCaveat Co-Op

Homeschool from kindergarten to grade 12, courses for parents, and plans with your Caveat advisor.

For college-bound students and familiesCaveat College

College credit in high school, the college list, applications, paying for college and the move to college.

For families with questions about learningCaveat Lens

Screeners for grades 1 to 8 that help you decide whether to ask for a full evaluation.

For career exploration and readinessCaveat Careers

A free Career Explorer, career pathways and electives, and getting ready for a first job.

Caveat Cares is education. Its courses and lessons teach everyday social-emotional skills; they are not therapy, counseling or a diagnosis, and they do not replace care from a doctor, a school counselor or a licensed mental health professional. If you or someone you know is in crisis, talk to a trusted adult or call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911. Caveat Academic Services is independent and not affiliated with any published social-emotional learning program.