Karli’s 7 Cs

Our brains can get “stuck” in fear, anxiety, or anger. Doing a nonverbal activity such as coloring or a jigsaw puzzle together can help us reconnect and get “unstuck.”

This coloring page can help adults communicate important ideas to children without saying a word: We can relax and have a good time together. I am here with you. I am listening. I am interested in you.

Colored pencils or thin-tipped markers work well for the detailed background, but crayons will work too. Here are some other tips:

• If possible, sit side by side in a quiet space with a surface.
• Children color Karli, adults color the more detailed background.
• There’s no right or wrong way to color; the goal is to sit and relax together. It’s okay to sit without talking, too!
• If possible, display finished work.
• Children might also draw their own families on the back of the page.

Thanks to Jerry Moe, who developed the 7 Cs. Jerry is the National Director of the Hazelden Betty Ford Children’s Program and an Advisory Board Member of the National Association for Children of Addiction (NACOA).