Soothing Sammy Kit
"It was a quiet family afternoon, but then the tantrums started - her play purse wouldn't close because it had too many plastic princesses in it - and as much as I tried to explain that it might close if we take one or two "dollies out", I knew the inevitable was coming...
Then it happened..... First her fists started to clench, then her face became bright red... and then started the high pitched screaming at the top of her lungs...
I don't understand why problems that have such “logical solutions”, could make my three-year-old so angry!"
Have you ever felt this way as you watch your child throw a tantrum?
You are not alone! According to Robert Plutchick, professor emeritus at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, more than 90 different emotions have been identified!
Unfortunately, humans aren’t born knowing how to process their emotions or problem solve. Throughout your life, you learned what techniques help you calm down.
How does Soothing Sammy Help?
1. Sammy Encourages your child to Communicate their feelings.
The first part of the Soothing Sammy Kit is a children's book. In the story, children visit Sammy, the golden retriever, at his dog house. They feel upset and Sammy teaches them how to calm down, identify why they were mad and encourage them to find a solution to their problem. Some calming strategies include: smelling a pleasant scent (like lotion or a flower), crunching on a snack, jumping in a safe spot, humming a favorite song and more!
How do you teach your child to actually use these skills when they are upset?
That's where Sammy the Plush dog comes in. The kit includes a cuddly, soft, plush golden retriever that brings the children's book to life. Follow the instructions in the back for the Soothing Sammy Book to learn how to construct a "Sammy house" (using an empty box or container) for Sammy to live in. The directions include suggested household items (talked about in the "Soothing Sammy" book) to put into Sammy's House. When your child becomes upset, redirect them to visit Sammy where they will be able to use his items to calm down in a safe and effective way.
This house helps children and families implement the calming strategies learned in the Sammy book.
- Sammy meets and exceeds all US safety Standards for children ages 2 years old and up.
- Machine Washable
- 10 inches long
Once your child is calm, ask them how they are feeling and why they are upset. Your child should now be able to communicate what is bothering them.
For children that are still developing their vocabulary, ask them to point what they are mad at. Maybe they would like to draw a photo about how they are feeling.
2. Sammy Assists your child in Solving the Problem.
Once you and your child have identified why they are upset, you can help them solve the problem. Together, decide how you can fix the situation. By including your child in developing the solution, he/she will remember what to do next time so they won't get upset.
The Soothing Sammy kit comes with an 80 page parent guide, offering positive parenting solutions to a variety of common situations (such as eating out in restaurants, going on long car rides, going shopping, sharing with siblings, leaving the park, waiting in a long line, etc). It includes a reflection area in each category so you can make a plan that fits your family.
The children’s book, along with Sammy the plush dog and parent guide was created to support stress-free parenting. When parents have a plan, they are more confident, able to stay positive and learn how/why their little angels are acting the way they are.
3. Sammy Teaches Sensory Strategies
As adults, we seek out calming sensory activities when we feel stressed or upset - such as sipping coffee, chewing gum, going on a walk/run, putting on fragrant hand lotion or smelling essential oils. Throughout our life experiences, we have learned what techniques help us calm down. Sammy is here to help young children learn safe strategies they can use to calm themselves down.
You may have noticed, when children become mad or upset, it is hard to have a conversation with them. Children become overwhelmed with emotion and ignore adult advice/redirection. This isn't because your child is mean or rude, it's simply because they need time to process what has happened and figure out why their body is reacting in such a strong way.
Throughout the story, children visit Sammy, the golden retriever, who introduces them to different calming strategies such as looking at a photo, smelling a rose, listening to a favorite song, crunching on a favorite snack and more! Each item Sammy introduces to the children impacts one or more components of a child's sensory system, teaching children that there are ways to calm their body when they feel overwhelmed.
Once calm, Sammy teaches the children how to process their feelings and solve problems with adult support. There are different emotional levels that all humans experience. Low levels are when you are calm and can talk through a situation. High levels include extreme anger/frustration/sadness often described as ‘losing it’. When children are at a high emotional level, talking to them is not helpful.
The solution is TIME. Give your child time, along with some calming strategies, so they can return to a "calm-level." This "time" is often displayed when children seek out hugs or cuddles when they are sad. They need some quiet time while being comforted so they can process their emotions. Once they have calmed down, they can respond to an adults questions.
Take a peak inside the Sammy Book:
Customer Reviews:
"Soothing Sammy is a great book that helps children express their feelings in a positive way. My 2 and 11 yrs old kids love it! My 11yrs old daughter said “I wish I had Sammy in my life when I was younger.” She also had a great time building Sammy’s house. I definitely recommend it." - Maria
"Parenting is hard work! Children do not come with instructions, so knowing how to handle their emotional needs is so hard. Thanks to Soothing Sammy I am better equipped to help my children through their melt-downs and tantrums. Since grabbing this set I have seen not only a difference in my children but a difference in how I handle them in the hard moments. I definitely recommend this set to every parent." - Stephanie
"My daughter and I had fun reading and building Sammy’s house. She loves Sammy! So far it has helped her feel better when upset. She has chosen something to crunch on when mad and then hugging Sammy when sad. We keep it i the living room where she will hopefully continue to use it. " - Jennifer
"Like many kids, my three year old often gets sad and has a hard time expressing himself. Soothing Sammy has helped him identify a toolkit full of tools that he can choose from based on the situation. The tools allow him to calm down, sooth, and verbally express himself so we can address the reasoning behind his emotion. " - Nancy
"I order Sammy for my 7 year old son who sometimes gets angry and has a hard time controlling his emotions. Sammy arrived today and he was very excited to see what he was about. We read the book together and have already talk about how he was going to decorate his home. I am hopeful that this is going to be a great teaching tool for him and that Sammy is going to become a big part of helping him control his emotions. We are very excited to but these new teaching tools into our everyday lives. Sammy is super cute and the book is at a reading level that young children can read on there own. " - Heidi
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