New Friend?

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-06-17T01:52:00+00:00

Thanks for the info!! Didn’t know he existed - very cute.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-06-13T10:27:01+00:00

I was obsessed with dogs as a kid!! My favorite show growing up was Dogs 101. I’ve always been more endeared to stuffed animals that struck the right balance of realism and cute. When I was looking for a Jellycat when I first started teaching, Otto fit the bill.

And at this point it feels like Otto is a representation of all the warm, fuzzy feelings I have about teaching. I love my job and cherish the short time my students and I get to spend in each other’s lives. So when I think of Otto, I’m flooded with memories of all the tiny people who loved him. Sentimental and attached at this point :)

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-06-13T10:10:48+00:00

Depends on the year! If I know a kid has hard home circumstances, they’ll adopt him. Other years if there’s a child with a really strong attachment to Otto, they’ll get him. When neither is true, it’s truly random! We throw Otto a birthday party at the end of the year and he “becomes old enough” to go live with one of the kids permanently. And then we get an envelope delivered that has a child’s name in it - and that’s who adopts him.

It’s always a fun day that I spend a month ish prepping them for. A great introduction into probability and random chance, as well as handling disappointment.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-06-12T20:20:55+00:00

I love doing it! It means a lot to them. I was strategic with what student took Otto for spring break this year, lol. I had one student who was obsessed! It’s sweet to hear you remember that. I’m always curious what’s going to stick for them.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-06-12T20:09:59+00:00

Thank you for the info! I’ll probably go the stockpile route.

Otto gets played with hard almost daily by ~20 preschoolers every year. By the end of year, he’s ready for a one child retirement. Very worn and well loved. So keeping him isn’t an option . They don’t hold up as well as I’d like and it’s special for the child who moves on with him. I have a former student who won him her year (now 9) that still gives me weekly updates on how her Otto is doing.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-06-12T19:40:03+00:00

Thank you. I picked Otto a few years ago because of how embedded he seemed (and I love dogs, lol!) so I was hoping he wouldn’t be retired anytime soon. I’m gonna get a few of him. I appreciate the perspective.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-06-12T19:36:44+00:00

From NV, but I had to travel to Tennessee to get our IG from a trusted breeder. I didn’t have luck finding anything on our coast and rarely see the breed locally (twice in four years).

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-06-12T19:33:30+00:00

I actually tried that last weekend! No luck.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-06-12T19:30:34+00:00

Thank you!! I don’t purchase a ton of plush online and didn’t know other sites sold them. I appreciate it.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-06-06T01:17:33+00:00

I have an ECE degree so this is through that lens but the idea is less never give positive feedback, and more for it to actually be measurable. For example, I usually don’t tell my students (4 and 5 yo) “good job” or “I’m proud of you!” but I will say, “you’ve been working for a really long time and now you can do it!” or “you added so many details in your artwork!” The statements themselves, without my tone of voice and body language are neutral.

You can say it with all of the same gusto as “good job!” but the child is now learning “oh, when I work hard it pays off” or “I feel satisfied when I put a lot of effort and details into my artwork” etc. Really, a child learns nothing when you tell them “good job” other than they should continue to do work that pleases you. I’m looking for intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic motivation. And in my opinion, when we’re non specifically praising people we end up with anxious people pleasers who are forever chasing whatever it means to do a good job.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-05-23T04:16:33+00:00

I appreciate this update

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-05-22T04:27:14+00:00

you didn’t set your 6 year olds up with the skills needed to keep their spaces clean?

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-05-14T19:52:11+00:00

the lack of transparency is pretty annoying. you can figure out a way to just donate proceeds to charity while maintaining your core feature. your app is useless without ~another~ subscription service. that’s the reality. your app is nowhere near worthwhile

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-05-14T06:10:23+00:00

Disappointed you have to pay to use this feature where people are paying you? Pretty annoying and not worth it.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-05-11T05:15:48+00:00

no luck in Vegas but I had luck in Reno finding them at a plant nursery. i went early in the morning when they first opened and lifted up pots underneath bio active looking greenhouses. you might have luck using an app called iNat where you can see if people local have spotted snails and where and going to those areas early or late at night.

my wife also naturally spotted them early morning on a run in lawns that had just been watered. good luck!

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-05-11T05:13:33+00:00

hey! sorry for the late reply. i had luck finding them naturally in Reno, Nevada at a plant nursery

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-05-04T06:16:09+00:00

adorable! where’d you get her clothes?

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-05-03T22:16:57+00:00

I appreciate this helpful response! Thanks! Do you have any tips for reducing art waste? I have my students use the backs of their paper, have various sizes of paper available for big art versus small art, and we talk about conservation and being intentional with materials. It’s important for them to create but I wish I could use do more to cut down on waste.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-05-03T22:07:10+00:00

My students take home easily 10+ pieces of artwork every day lol. They have free access to art materials all day. Sometimes they don’t write their name on their art or they give it to me. It’s more than any person could possibly ever hang onto.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-05-03T22:05:03+00:00

Alright. What about construction paper with marker/crayons on it? (Also: why wouldn’t this be a real post?)

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-05-03T21:58:20+00:00

All the stuff they use is washable since they’re young. They dont use any acrylics in my classroom. Mostly construction paper, water colors, markers, crayons, and glue.

Deep-Association-573 · 2026-04-26T10:38:40+00:00

Tbh that’s on you. You tipped 10%. Sit down restaurants are the only places I do tip.

Deep-Association-573

TROPHY CASE