Support Stuffies

The support stuffy project initiated by Kim Chapin, started in 2022 with a generous donation of stuffed bears from Calendar Club Canada and their customers to our local children’s mental health centre. We were all well aware of the important role a stuffie can play in a child’s life so we were excited to receive this generous donation. Informed by narrative therapy, we understand the influence of story and the importance of audience to share stories with for meaning generation. We were thinking about: How could these stuffies play a role in being there for children and youth in meaningful ways as they navigate their circumstances? How could they bear witness to the more preferred developments in the lives of children and youth contributing to the story-in-the-making? What roles might children and youth identify for these stuffed companions?

We came to name the initiative the Support Stuffie Adoption Program. Children throughout the county and involved with mental health services or not could adopt a stuffie for free. As a means to lend some structure, we developed four possible roles for the stuffies which children could choose from. We described them as ‘working stuffies’ who children could turn to and lean on or find support with. Upon adoption, children received their stuffy, a card explaining their job, and an adoption certificate with the name they had ascribed.

Four Roles:

  • Adventure Stuffie: Your ADVENTURE Stuffie loves to try new things, explore, and go places together. They are a brave stuffy, which helps them quiet worries, try new activities, and do fun things. No matter what your adventure, your stuffy is ready to go!

  • Snuggle Stuffie: Your SNUGGLE Stuffie loves to sleep and have soft cuddles on the couch, warm hugs, and spend time together doing your favourite things or nothing at all. They enjoy quiet time to think, imagine, and dream.

  • Listening Stuffie: Your LISTENING Stuffie may have small ears but they are a big listener! They love to listen to your hopes, hurts, and happy or sad stories. Your Listening Buddy enjoys it when you read your favourite book to them or simply tell them about your day.

  • Share Stuffie: Your SHARE Stuffie loves to share all kinds of things like compliments, stories, ideas, and kindness. They like to help others, be a friend and make people smile. They are a friend for you when you need one and a pal to join you in your fun.

Children carefully and thoughtfully selected a role for their new companion. Some assigned other roles while others assigned all four. Many stories about the adventures of stuffies began to circulate such as how a child lent theirs out to a grandparent who was lonely, another took theirs to a scary hospital visit for support.

Through our narrative practice lens, we recognize the importance of audience to bear witness to the preferred developments in life. These stuffies as introduced audience, witness the best in children as they craft their skills and grow in preferred ways. They assist to introduce the concepts of adventure, comfort, listening and sharing. These concepts move from pre-concept to full concept through ongoing social collaboration. (See Cooper 2024 chapter 17 for more about concept development).

As noted by Thefurrypenguin stuffies play an important role in children’s lives.

Emotional Growth:

Stuffie touch is powerfully healthy. Soft touch provides a sense of peace. Stuffies can help children calm and soothe when life is hard. Stuffies encourage development of empathy and compassion! Stuffies help self-soothe. Stuffies give emotional support when life can be scary, strange or just new.

Language development:

Stuffies whisper nice things to children and children whisper nice things back. You can tell a story to a stuffie and they pay attention to every word. Stuffies understand what you are saying. Stuffies know and understand the language of each special child.

Social Skills:

Stuffies understand acceptance. Stuffies practice life skills. Stuffies are fed and put to bed. Stuffies play doctor and dentist, and trains, and go to school. They help grow caring for another thing- remembering to pick it up and keeping track of a Stuffie so you do not lose your friend. Stuffies go places. Stuffies are friends and feed imaginations.

Believing in what’s possible:

Stuffies provide possibilities. Children learn to plan new events with stuffies. Stuffies encourage children to try new things. Stuffies are conversation starters. Stuffies help children say things they may be afraid to say alone.

Reference:

https://furrythepenguin.com/blog/

Cooper, S. J. (2024). Brief narrative practice in single-session therapy. Routledge.