Backup your files and your claims.

We teach children to keep their homework safe on a computer and to keep their stories safe with backups; we can teach them the same careful habit for their feelings and the things they say. “Backup your files and your claims” is a simple idea: show kids how to make copies when something important lives only in one place, and also help them learn how to say what they mean, stand by it, and support it with calm words or small actions. From a teacher’s chair, this becomes practice in everyday resilience—saving work, saying what you feel, and gathering friends or facts so you’re not alone when things get tough.

Start with small, memorable phrases that children can carry in their pockets like tools. Short sentences are powerful because they can be said quietly when a child feels upset, or loudly when they need to be heard. A single sheet on the wall, a five-minute circle, or a quick reminder before computer class can plant these phrases so they pop up when needed. Examples that work well for ages 7–14 include:

• “I saved it, and I’ll save it again.”
• “I noticed how I feel.”
• “I can say it twice if I need to.”
• “Show me what you mean.”
• “I am allowed to ask for help.”
• “Let’s make a copy.”
• “My feeling is real.”
• “I’ll try one more time.”
• “I didn’t give up; I learned.”
• “Can you listen for a minute?”

Teach children how to use these phrases in two ways: as self-care backups and as ways to back up a claim. Self-care backups are short statements that calm and remind—“This will pass,” “Breathe,” “I did my best today”—and they help kids ride out a hard moment without making a permanent decision. Backing up a claim means teaching kids to explain what they mean with simple evidence: “I felt left out when they didn’t invite me to play,” or “My computer lost my file; here’s the screenshot.” Those are practical habits that prevent small problems from becoming big ones.

As teachers, model the behavior. Say your own short phrase out loud when something goes wrong—“I’ll save a copy”—and show how you back up a claim with a calm statement and an example. Practice role-playing: one child says a claim, another asks a clarifying question, and a third offers a helpful backup like asking an adult or showing a screenshot. Over time, kids learn that checking, saving, and explaining are not signs of weakness but of care and courage. When children know how to keep both their files and their feelings safe, they move through hard times with more confidence, fewer surprises, and the simple, steady habit of taking care of what matters.