The Mother Company is a group of mothers whose motto is “Helping Parents Raise Good People”. They are branching out with the creation of Ruby’s Studio, a line that helps to teach about social issues and emotions in a fun and creative way. I read the book Sally Simon Simmons Super Frustrating Day to my children, ages two and eight months, and they both loved the colors of the images and the eldest enjoyed the story. I really like that they added a note to parents and teachers about how frustration is an intense feeling for little minds and that the book is designed to help them work through and understand that feeling. The pages are very vibrant in color and a bit thicker than your average book but ripped when my youngest grabbed it a little too roughly. The suggested age for this book is 3-6 so if you have younger babies that love paper in the house be aware that the pages are thin enough for them to rip.
I asked my eldest, Nathan, if he liked the book and he said it was a “Good book.” At that point he got pretty angry at me for not sharing my notes with him and I used that opportunity to sit him down and we read the book again to use it as a learning tool so he could understand why he was feeling like that and how he can help it himself. I was able to show him how his and Sally’s frustrations were a lot alike and focused on how she let go of her feelings and felt better. I was very impressed that he seemed to relate and understand so that a time out was avoided.
I also had the opportunity to review a DVD by The Mother Company, The Friendship Show. This features Ruby from Ruby’s Studio. She is a likable character on her own but add kids and animation and it’s a hit with my little one. I am pretty envious of her studio though! It was filled with beautiful and modern decor, art projects by the children, plants, a friendship tree, and Ruby adds a little magic with her stories. The movie touches on subjects such as sharing, friendship, bullying, being compassionate, understanding, the golden rule, and problem solving. I thought the DVD was well made, fun, and educational with catchy music. I found myself singing the theme song as I was washing dishes a couple of days later. It ran for 60 minutes and we took a break halfway through to stretch our legs and grab a snack, my kids don’t usually sit still for more than 5 minutes at a time so 30 minutes was amazing for them. They didn’t sit well through long speaking parts, like when Ruby asked the children questions, but their eyes were glued to the screen during the animation and singing parts. Ruby adds a personal touch in the book and DVD with a special goodbye for the kids to do at the end and Nathan thought it was hilarious that she blew him a kiss. I asked Nathan if he liked the movie and he shouted, “Yes!”. That one word spoke volumes to me as he has only said it three times in his short life. When I asked him what he liked the most he yelled, “Goal!”(there is a segment that involves a soccer ball that teaches about bullying).
The book and DVD I reviewed by The Mother Company are helpful for kids and parents. They have life lessons from a child’s point of view and include ways for parents to talk with their kids about their feelings by following Ruby’s example. I love that my son was able to relate to the characters and situations and I really liked that I was able to help him to calm down with a little help from Sally Simon Simmons. If you have children ages two to seven who are struggling with their emotions or just learning how to handle them, Ruby’s Studio is a way to help them open up and understand those feelings.
Connect: You can connect with Ruby’s Studio on Facebook and Twitter.
Win it: Sally Simon Simmons Super Frustrating Day book & The Friendship Show DVD.
To enter: Fill out the GT form below before 11:59pm EST on 3/15. This giveaway is open to the US.
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