Dash into Learning is embarking on an exciting new series of books to build the resilience of kids! This series provides social-emotional learning through familiar stories and familiar friends -- Fan and Sam and all the other Dash into Learning characters.

Social-emotional learning is a priority in education because research shows its importance. Children who are emotionally resilient learn better and thrive while kids who are not resilient often struggle academically. Resilient children grow stronger when mastering challenges. Individuals with grit, perseverance, fortitude, compassion, empathy, and good conflict-resolution skills can overcome significant barriers to success. But these resilience skills are not explicitly taught in most settings.

Enter, social-emotional learning. 

Social-emotional learning occurs in many ways: children can watch their parents and other role models, children can be taught directly through precept, and children can be taught indirectly through media messages. Wouldn’t it be great to have a resource that includes all three methods? 

You are in luck!

In our new Dash into Happy™ book series we build on the gentle and endearing traits that your children already find in our books and allow children to connect with the emotions in the stories in safe, accessible ways. How do we do this? We have placed Fan and Sam, Tash and Ash, and all the others into familiar fairy tales and fables. Fan and Sam encounter emotions and dilemmas in the Three Bears. Tim and Tam are Hansel and Gretel as they help each other escape the gingerbread house and show compassion about each other and their father. Mitt and Meg shepherd the Three Billy Goats Gruff past the hungry troll and role model how to deal with a bully. And the list goes on. 

But the series is much more than simple stories. Each story is crafted to emphasize the thoughts and emotions of the characters so that the child can learn to connect with his or her own emotions by proxy. Then the child learns compassion for self and others when they are struggling. And the child learns to reach out for support and to give support to others who are in distress. These are the first, gentle steps to social-emotional learning about dealing with feelings.

Future adventures include The Emperor’s New Clothes, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Town Cousin and Country Cousin, Snow White, Red Riding Hood, and many others!

The social emotional skills that these books gradually build include: 

• Connecting with their own emotions and naming them
• Talking about their emotions instead of acting them out with misbehavior
• Having insight and compassion on self and others
• Learning to empathize with others instead of rejecting or demeaning others
• Learning to both give and receive emotional support
• Learning to cope with stress in healthy ways
• Learning to talk so others will listen without getting defensive
• Learning to listen so others will be deeply understood
• Learning to accept feelings and learn to mitigate negative emotions
• Learning to replace negative thinking with healthy cognitions
• Learning to take action rather than be a passive victim
• Learning collaborative problem solving
• Learning to cope with more serious issues such as divorce, friendship, death, boundaries, etc.
• Learning how trauma can impact self and others and having compassion about the effects

Right now, you are probably thinking, “Wow, I wish I had those skills!” 

Great news! 

Our Dash into Happy™ series allows you to learn right along with your children! Our books have an important role for parents and other teachers: Every book has a Pre-story lesson and a Post-story lesson that builds the emotional skills of children and their adults.  These outlines provide discussion questions and easy vocabulary so children are empowered to express and understand their feelings. As children gain more facility with talking about their emotions, they usually do much less acting out of their emotions. And as the adults learn how emotions work, they are better equipped to facilitate the child’s development of resilience. 

It’s a win-win!

Amelia Murdock has teamed up with Joan Landes--a homeschool mother of 7 and a clinical mental health counselor who has used these concepts in her private practice with much success for years-- to create this exceptionally beautiful, engaging, practical and important curriculum for classrooms and families. 

This program is already being tested and used to great success!  Read this testimonial from a mom of 4:

"The day after reading the first book in this series and talking through the lesson with my daughter, she was able to express in words her feelings in a very distressing moment.  Normally she stays silent and we don’t seem to progress.  This communication from her was amazing and really helped us work through the emotional moment so much better!  I could address her emotional state instead of just her behavior! I totally give these books the credit for this progress and awareness."

This program makes learning these social-emotional concepts fun, engaging and easy.  Available NOW!

 

Watch this video to see an example of Dash into Happy working in real life!