Text:

Spanish: “Sana, Sana, Colita de Rana”
Direct Translation: “Heal, Heal, butt of the frog.”

Context:

DGM: It refers to soothing a child when they are upset or crying. I heard it from my family, though I have no clue why it exists, but it’s funny to say so maybe that helps calm kids down after they get hurt.

Analysis:

This may have begun as a grounding technique for injured or upset children. An example of this is saying something shocking to an adult to snap them out of a spiral, or telling someone to put an ice cube in their mouth when they are having a panic attack. The expression distracts them from why they were upset in the first place and forces them to focus on something else. Often children don’t know how to regulate their emotions well, they are still learning. Saying something silly can distract them and make it easier for them to calm down.