Week 2
I can be kind to myself
Week 2
Feelings
This week in Hero Training we learned how to recognize our feelings and how to connect with our inner calm.
Heroes experience all feelings. Happy, sad, mad, worried, frustrated... Some feelings feel good. Some feel uncomfortable. And that’s okay. Big feelings don’t mean something is wrong with us. They mean our body is asking for help. And when we know what we’re feeling, we can use our Hero Powers to be kind to ourselves and bring our calm back.
Ways to calm my body
Hero Breaths
Slow, deep breaths that help the body pause, reset, and think before acting.
Coloring
Using shapes, lines, and colors to let big feelings come out safely on paper.
(Lines might be heavy when angry, small dots when sad, waves when confused, bright colors when calm.)
Getting a hug
From a friend or a parent is always comforting and helps bring out the kindness within us to move on and conquer what is at hand. For example, before leaving for school getting a hug from Mom or Dad so we can go on and start the day, or getting a hug from a friend to boost our own self-esteem to carry on with what we are doing.
Help them practice Self-Kindness
Model it!
“I need to find my calm so I’m going to rest for a few minutes. That’s me being kind to my body.”
Kids learn emotional awareness and self-kindness most powerfully by watching the adults around them. When we name our feelings, use our calm-down tools, and show ourselves compassion, they learn how to do the same.
Reflect it back
“Wow, you felt frustrated and then took a deep breath. That was you being kind to yourself.”
Conversation Starters
How did you find your calm today?
Can you share something you did today that helped you find your calm?
What are some ways you can find your calm and show kindness to yourself?
]When you were upset, how did you calm down?
Every child has a hero within. One powered by kindness, courage, responsibility, and resilience.
This “inner hero” isn’t something they have to earn or become; it’s already a part of who they are. Like the sun, it shines from within. It’s steady, strong, and always present. Sometimes clouds appear that make it hard to see the light. But the Hero Mindset helps children remember that even when their sky feels cloudy, their sun hasn’t gone anywhere. Their inner hero is still there, waiting to shine again.
Hartie is the lovable and powerful superhero of Heroville. A guide who helps children discover the hero within themselves, Hartie’s greatest superpower is helping kids uncover their own: kindness, courage, responsibility, and resilience. With his signature hero cape and golden shield, Hartie reminds children that they have everything they need to face everyday challenges with bravery and heart.
Inspired by the deer for which he’s named, Hartie embodies both strength and gentleness. He’s calm, steady, and always ready to help kids find their inner light—especially in moments that feel tough, scary, or uncertain. Hartie isn’t there to rescue; he’s there to remind each child that they are the hero of their own story.
No two heroes look the same, and no two journeys are alike. Every child experiences courage, kindness, and strength in their own way. For one, bravery might mean whispering “hi” to a new friend. For another, it could be trying a new food, speaking up in class, or sleeping in their own bed for the first time. The Hero Mindset teaches children that heroism isn’t about comparison—it’s about showing up for themselves, one small, brave step at a time. By honoring each child’s individuality, it empowers them to see that their story, their pace, and their kind of courage all matter.
The Hero Mindset helps children see that being a hero isn’t about doing big things. It’s about finding courage in everyday moments. When kids face an everyday challenge, it gives parents and children the language to help them reframe themselves as the hero of the situation, not the victim of it. Hartie’s Club teaches them how to use the tools they already have inside—their thinking powers, word powers, and action powers to navigate challenges and develop their powers of kindness and compassion, resilience and responsibility.
