Parents Archives - Page 8 of 16 - Minds On Music

Using Music to Address Challenging Behaviors

Whether in the classroom or at home, if there are children, there are likely to be challenging behaviors. That’s because kids will be kids, and we all have our moments. While there are many appropriate ways to address challenging behaviors depending the child, the situation, and the need of the moment, we’d like to suggest a few creative ways to use music to respond to challenging behaviors.

A simple little children’s song, even one adapted for the moment, can ease the transition times in a child’s day.

Songs, rhymes, and rhythmic activities can become a part of a reassuring and predictable daily routine that will nearly eliminate feelings of frustration or uncertainty.

A song or rhyme like Dr. Becky Bailey’s “I Love You Rituals” can give a child an appropriate way to express himself.

Playing recorded music can set the tone for the day in the classroom, bring down the energy level, or even help ease a child into nap time or bed time.

Quieter songs and recordings will do wonders to calm and quiet busy little minds and bodies.

If a child is singing, he/she can’t be talking!

Singing, moving, or listening to music can help re-direct a child’s attention.

Moving to music not only wakes up the brain and primes it for learning, but moving to music also eliminates the wiggles.

So try it out. See for yourself how a song in your head and a song in their hearts will work wonders, especially when it comes to addressing challenging behaviors!

Shared by Theresa Case whose award-winning Kindermusik program is located at Piano Central Studios in the beautiful upstate of South Carolina.

What Kids Need

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Last month, I wrote an article on what kids want that featured a commercial from an Australian food company. It beautifully demonstrated the importance of quality time vs. quantity of time between parents and kids. As it turns out, kids crave time that involves meaningful interaction, such as mealtime. During a meal you make eye contact, talk about your day…what you saw, what you learned. It’s time to learn a bit more about each other. Your kids are constantly changing.

Recently, early childhood expert Erika Christakis gave an interview over at NPR and focused on her new book, The Importance of Being Little: What Preschoolers Really Need from Grown-Ups. What kids need is a logical next step in the discussion following what kids want.

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Less Paper, More Play

Christakis’s basic premise is straightforward and direct. We live in an educational era dominated by test preparation. I have mentioned before that my wife is a public school music teacher and she sees this on a regular basis. The amount of activities in which children take part that are experiential in nature seem to take a back seat to process or didactic learning (think lecture). We need more opportunities for experiential learning.

Play is a wonderful form of experiential learning. Dancing, movement, singing – these are all opportunities to do and learn through doing. And this is what Christakis suggests – kids need opportunities to learn and grow through play. Specifically, our kids need play activities involving adults with whom they have important, positive relationships – like parents and grandparents.

Here’s a brief video explaining experiential learning, and how it benefits growth. One of the most important parts of this is reflecting on the activity at hand. And this can be simply talking with your child – perhaps during a meal (See what I did there? Full circle!). They are initiating the process of learning when they play, developing an understanding of the world around them, how their minds and bodies work in that world, and how they interact with others.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF63HHVbpQ8″][vc_column_text]Now, don’t get me wrong, there are multiple modes of learning that are effective, however, when you reduce the amount of active participation on the part of the learner, it can have a negative overall outcome.

So…what does Erika Christakis have to say about learning through play? From her February interview with NPR…

Playful learning is embedded in relationships and in things that are meaningful to children. I use the example of the iconic Thanksgiving turkey [handprint] . When you really get into what’s behind those cutesy crafts, a lot of curriculum is organized around these traditions, things around the calendar, things that are done because they’ve always been done.

When you look at how kids learn, they learn when something is meaningful to them, when they have a chance to learn through relationships — and that, of course, happens through play.

And there it is again – the idea that learning is heightened when there is active participation coupled with meaningful relationships. As easy as it is for us to say “go play in your room”; it’s much more meaningful if we play with them, if we move with them, if we sing with them. And the research I mentioned last month indicates that the quality of these moments is far more important than the quantity. Make them count.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Playful learning — Here’s kid that is having a meaningful experience – it radiates from his eyes!

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A Natural Flow

How often does what we need as humans progress so neatly from what we want? They are often two very different things. But with kids and their “blank slate” nature, these two things do tend to align, or at the very least, one feeds the other. If you take the time to have quality moments with your child, this can often result in Christakis’s “playful learning”. What they want becomes what they need when you find ways to make that time experiential and playful. Then, it cycles back on itself when you find opportunities to talk about what went down. And trust me…if it was fun, they will want to talk about it! They’ll want to call up their aunt or grandpa to tell them all about. So take advantage – ask questions. Get them to ask you questions. Connect, learn, grow…together.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][class_finder_form css=”.vc_custom_1457327574869{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Self Awareness and the Dragon: A Parenting Fairytale

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When our sons were young (age 4), they memorized a very simple, two-part definition of self-awareness. Here is it:

1. Always know what’s going on around you.

and…

2. Always know how my choices affect other people.

Our boys, considering their surroundings, about to make good choices...hopefully — *Our boys, considering their surroundings, about to make good choices…hopefully*

The idea was that they would hear my voice, their mother’s voice, or more importantly their own voice recite these words when faced with decisions without one of us present. These two little sentences cover just about any situation that might come up. I thought it might be fun to place “The Definition” (as we refer to it in our family) into a little parenting fairytale.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]

Once upon a time, in the faraway realm of Kindermusika, there lived a Brother and a Sister, two young singers of great renown. Now, this pair had loving parents that taught them some very important lessons. They knew the Golden Rule, and to not eat in bed because of the crumbs. But because their parents were sometimes gone running the business of the realm, the King and Queen also taught them The Definition of Self Awareness. These were magic words that helped the young singers learn to think before acting. Once, the Brother came upon a group of children throwing rocks over a wall. He thought, “Do I know what’s on the other side of that wall? What if there are animals or people over there!?”

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]While walking down the main village street, the sister saw a woman carrying food back from the market. She always made time to take in her surroundings. This time, she saw the woman trip and drop the basket of food. “I should help her,” the Sister thought. “I know the woman would be glad to have an extra set of hands.”[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]And so it went. The Siblings did their best to know what was going on around them and to always think about how their choices would affect others.

And then…it happened. As often is the case with these stories, a Dragon appeared. But this wasn’t your ordinary, fire-breathing monster. No…this Dragon made all kinds of bad choices that wreaked havoc on the realm. He’d knock over barrels of rainwater and play in the mud. He’d let the sheep out of their pasture and chase them into the woods. On a particularly bad day, the Dragon ate all of the village baker’s laundry, including his best puffy white hat. He even left claw marks in the dough.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Now, The Brother and Sister saw all this and once again remembered their parents’ words. The Sister said to the Brother, “I bet we could teach this Dragon some manners. Maybe sharing the Definition will help!”
And that’s just what they did. The Brother and Sister knew that with this type of Dragon – no fire and smoke to worry about, just some poor choices – they show him the way.

While the Dragon was busy using the candlestick maker’s curtains to blow his nose, the Brother walked up politely and sat on a tree stump.

“What do you want?” asked the Dragon, as he sneezed into the brand new curtains.

The Brother, knowing Dragons liked music, sang him a little song (that sounded strangely like Twinkle Twinkle).

Dragon with a stuffy snout
Those curtains need to be thrown out.
Use a tissue when you sneeze
Leave the curtains in the breeze.
Dragon, make a better choice
And your friends will all rejoice![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As the Brother sang, the Dragon smiled and slowly put down the Candlestick Maker’s curtains (a bit worse for wear). “I never thought of it that way!” said the Dragon, as he absentmindedly almost sat on the Blacksmith’s roof.

“No! No!” shouted the Sister. The Dragon froze and the Sister began to sing to the Dragon (a tune that oddly resembled Pop Goes the Weasel).

Before you go to sit yourself down
Please check if it is clear, sir!
You may destroy a house or a shop
Think of your career, sir!

“Well, I’m in between jobs at the moment, but I get your point,” chuckled the Dragon – and he stood up just before crushing the Blacksmith’s roof.

“Where did you learn to think about others and make good choices?” asked the Dragon. He was amazed at the music and message of these two young siblings.

“Our parents!” they answered. “They taught us to always know what’s going on around us and to know how our choices might affect others.”

“Incredible!” said the Dragon.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]With that, the Brother, the Sister, and the Dragon, went out to the jousting field for a picnic, to sing songs, and use tissues whenever they sneezed.

And they all lived musically ever after![/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Our sons are now 9 and 13 and they still have “The Definition” memorized. I’d like to think it helps them make better choices during their day, and perhaps be a bit more compassionate toward others. And who knows…if they ever come across a poor decision-making dragon, maybe they can pass along some good advice.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

What Kids Want: Quality Time

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I’m a sucker for a well-made advertisement, specifically an ad that does the following: makes me think, and as my students say, “gives me ALL the feels.” As an educator, I am constantly evaluating those students’ needs. As a parent, I do the same thing with my kids. I’ll admit, occasionally my job as professor causes me to over-analyze my job as dad in the quest to earn my parenting cape. As silly as it sounds, something as trivial as an ad from an Australian food company can put things into perspective and show us what might be going on in our kids’ minds:[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wfbY3i4FY0″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

What Kids Want: Quality Time with Us

Yep…it’s an ad, but research bears the premise out. And it’s not just time; it’s quality time. Through her research, Dr. Amy Hsin, a sociologist at Queens College in NYC, highlights what most of us already knew deep down: spending time with kids in front of the TV not only lacks real quality of interaction, but may be “detrimental” to child development. Mealtime – when the family sits and shares a basic human need – this is quality time. This is a chance to ask each other what we learned during the course of the day. We show interest in our kids, in each other. We make eye contact. We laugh. We share exciting stories. We learn about who our kids are becoming…and we do this with no distractions from glowing screens (shut those phones off at mealtime!).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Quality Moments of Connection, not Quantity

In a recent article in the Washington Post, University of Maryland Professor Melissa Milkie encourages parents to find moments of quality connection rather than simple quantity to build strong parent/child relationships.

So, think about the special moments that occur between child and parent in Kindermusik classes: physical connection, singing and moving together, and all of this happening through a time-tested curriculum designed to do exactly what research suggests – provide quality moments between parent and child.

It is these moments that our kids remember – laughing at a silly song, seeing Mom smile, hearing Dad roar like a lion. They are precious images that get filed and called up on the big screen in our kids’ minds. And when we sneak in to check on them as they fall asleep, those smiles we see as the little ones drift off, very well could be due to giggling at dinner time or a replay of “You are my sunshine.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Our Favorite “I Love You Rituals” from Dr. Becky Bailey

At the heart of Dr. Becky Bailey’s transformative Conscious Discipline approach are her “I Love You Rituals.” When used with intention and consistency, Dr. Bailey’s poems and songs are powerful tools that help children connect, calm, and make good choices. Best of all, these “I Love You Rituals” work beautifully not just in the classroom but also at home. Here are a few of our favorites from Dr. Becky Bailey that have been successfully incorporated into many Kindermusik classrooms and routines:

Continue reading “Our Favorite “I Love You Rituals” from Dr. Becky Bailey”

Risk and Growth: A Balancing Act

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Elizabeth Mesick – Educator, Philosopher, Mom, and Blogger

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As a parent, finding the balance between protecting your child and allowing for safe risks is a constant struggle. If we don’t allow risks, we logically know that it will not end well for our little ones, but still, all we want to do is scoop them up and snoodled them and keep them safe from bullies, kidnappers and even scarier criminals, mean teachers, friends who only play with them when no one else is around, those playground moms who judge your child, etc. You know what I mean! Growing up can be a nightmare, and it’s not just the other kids to worry about.

I have a perfect (for me) family trio of Husband, Daughter, and me. I chose to work and mom at the same time and continued my career as an elementary school teacher while Daughter was in day care. Then came the day when she was finally old enough to be a part of my school community. Oddly, I was more nervous with her right down the hall than before when she was miles away from me. She wasn’t in the cozy confines of the sweet little 6 to 1 ration preschool room anymore, and I knew what was out there. Now please understand, the school in which I taught was pretty dang fabulous. Really amazing teachers and kids, a supportive administration, small class size, the works. School’s scary and hard and different. There are new challenges and opportunities that just made me nervous for my little peanut. She did (and does) a great job navigating all of it with minimal help from home. All was going fine – and then – she wanted to be in the talent show.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Opportunity: The Talent Show

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Every year at our amazing school we had a talent show mid-winter. It was a long and cold winter in Colorado and testing season was upon us, so we all needed a great break. I ran the show for many years and, though it was exhausting and at times quite aggravating, I adored it. One year I realized I would be at a reading conference during the show’s scheduled date, so I passed the leadership off to another. After ten years it was time anyway. When Daughter was in first grade, she decided that it was time for her to be in the show alongside the dancers and singers and comedians. She would sing, she told me, all alone. It was the height of the phenomenon of Disney’s “Frozen” and Daughter was, as were most other little ones that year, obsessed. “I’m going to sing ‘Let it Go’ with the music only- no words on the CD,” she said. “I’m going to do it all by myself, I’m going to do a dance, and it’s going to be great.” My heart sank into my feet. I felt nauseated. How terrible, you’re thinking. Support her! Ok, ok. I hear you. But let me explain…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”7933″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Daughter is amazing at a lot of things. Quite a lot of them, in fact. She can read like you wouldn’t believe. She is ridiculously smart when it comes to most school subjects, especially science, because she remembers everything. She can act like very few children I’ve ever seen, and I have been leading children in theater clubs my entire teaching career. But like most people, she has her things she is not so good at. Topping the list are her fine and gross motor skills (read: dancing) and singing. Oh, does she want to be a singer! Those days, as now, she sang all the time; showers, baths, car, walking, riding a bike, on the swings, you name it this kid was singing. (There’s a great story about her kindergarten teacher needing to talk to us about the constant singing in the bathroom, actually, but that’s for another day.) Even with all that practice, the poor child could not, as the saying goes, carry a tune in a bucket. Cool abilities and cool mom teacher aside, Daughter was not doing great in the friend and peer likeability department, either. She’s unique, some even say weird, and gets picked on. Some days it bothers her, some days less so, and it seems to be an undercurrent to all that happens to her. That’s why my belly hurt. All I could see was Daughter up on that stage, singing and dancing her heart out, only to be made fun of by her peers when she finished. Would they even clap for her? What if they openly laugh at her? What if this ruins the stage for her entirely, when I know she has some serious acting chops? I didn’t know what to do. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.

― William G.T. Shedd

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Finding Appropriate Risks

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]I think a lot of parents have these types of situations with their sweet little ones. Many people call their parents, siblings, fellow parent friends, and ask for advice. I did a lot of those things, but I also did what I often do when confronted with a conundrum; I researched. I was directed to several amazing resources, and let me sum up what they are saying for you: allowing your child an opportunity to take safe, calculated risks is important for them as a developing human. Allowing (again, safe and calculated) risks helps your child to be a better decision-making adult. One of my favorite nuggets of research-based wisdom is from clinical psychologists Dr. Susan Davis and Dr. Nancy Eppler-Wolff. “Risk is inevitable, and without learning the skills of good risk-taking, our children will be more apt to take impulsive and poor risks.” (Read the full article here) They’re going to take risks anyway, so why not give them a safe environment and controlled setting? I always told the parents of my elementary students that making mistakes in my classroom was a perfect time because the consequences were small. This was really no different. Or was it? Were the consequences really small? So I continued with researching adding the idea of not only risk, but failure or mistake. Yet another nugget which summed up what I was reading fell into my lap:

It is worth reminding ourselves of two truths about how children grow up to be confident, resilient, responsible people. First, they have to be given the chance to learn from their mistakes. Second, the best classroom for learning about everyday life is indisputably the real world, beyond home and school.

– Tim Gill, author of No Fear: Growing Up in a Risk-averse Society

I can’t think of a single parent who would not want their child to be confident, resilient, or responsible. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]So I decided to let her go for it. Daughter was to be on that stage alone and singing and dancing to the smash hit “Let it Go” without even my face in the audience. I had to be at a reading conference if you recall, and I was a hundred miles away. Luckily, when you’ve been teaching at a small school in a small town, you get great friends among your fellow staff members, and a wonderful teacher gave Daughter a pep talk beforehand, FaceTime-d me in for the performance, and even bought her a flower for afterwards. Even more luckily, Husband was able to be there having walked in the door from his demanding job the act before Daughter was to go on stage. All was in place. Take your places, ready, set, go! [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

A bend in the road is not the end of the road…Unless you fail to make the turn.

― Helen Keller

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A Risk Rewarded

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]She sang her little heart out. She was super nervous and forgot to do her dance, which is probably for the best anyway. She was singing all her words right on time and didn’t sound half bad. Then my teacher friend panned the audience. Every kid there was swaying and had a smile on his or her face. Every kid was supporting her. Every. Single. One. When she finished, they applauded like Idina Menzel herself had been there. It was spectacular. She had been so confident with only a touch of stage fright, and she took so much more from that performance than can be measured or written or examined here. She’s not afraid to take a reasonable risk. She’s not afraid to do something her heart tells her is right, and she has a love of music and sharing it with others that can never be extinguished.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

..they applauded like Idina Menzel herself had been there.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]She’s a little older now and has started taking piano lessons. Her first homework assignment is to write a song with the few notes she has learned. She’s up to the task. She will write and perform that song for her teacher with confidence and love. She will sing every day to anyone who will listen. She’s practicing to be Willy Wonka in a musical, too. When I asked her what gave her the confidence to audition for such a big part, she answered, “Mom, if I can sing in front of the whole school all by myself, what can’t I do?” That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? What can’t she do? [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]

Elizabeth Mesick is a former elementary school teacher who now gets to teach and write from her cozy home office. She lives in Pennsylvania with her amazing husband, lovely daughter, and wonderful zoo of furry beasts: Mabel, Merlin, and Rose Tyler. Lizzie loves to write, read, play, and drink ridiculous amounts of tea. She also really loves to hear from her readers.

You can find her at:

http://elephantsblog.com

https://www.facebook.com/ElephantsintheRoomBlog

Or follow her on twitter @BlogElephants

Or on tumblr at http://elephantsintheroomblog.tumblr.com

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Parenting Playlist: Music To Help Children Focus

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ok. Put on your seat belts. I’m going to take us back in time to the 1990s. Remember everyone’s favorite purple dinosaur? Perhaps not everyone’s favorite, but I bet you remember his Clean Up song! I used that song constantly with my two sons as they were growing up. It was magic. MAGIC, I tell you! No fussing, no arguing (most of the time!). As soon as I starting singing, they started helping and toys were put away. Don’t be fooled friends – the real magic when Mary Poppins had the Banks children clean their room wasn’t a spoon full of sugar…it was a song about a spoon full of sugar.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/MOOxpT9q2mo?t=58s”][vc_column_text]A doctor singing to his infant patient to help distract him…after delivering some shots. The Clean Up Song![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]So I was thinking…why not have a playlist…a parenting playlist that helped a child mark the various parts of the day? We use lullabies for bed time…why not use music to focus other important daily events? Once upon a time, that would have been very difficult, as our music was less portable. But now? You could actually create a playlist on your phone and have it with you at all times! Connecting music with certain daily activities provides an aural signal that goes beyond words. You can easily create a playlist that would focus a child and involve them in an aspect of preparation for any activity. Think of the music as an overture. As mentioned in a previous post, you hear Take Me Out to the Ball Game at the ball park and you stand up to stretch. You tell me…when you here this – you start looking around for sharks, don’t you? I’d probably not use that in my playlist for the kiddos.

Here are some more appropriate suggestions from our collection of music used in Kindermusik classes worldwide – all available at the Play Kindermusik site.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

The Parenting Playlist

Now…having a playlist is great, but it’s made even greater if you sing along. If you sing (and trust me, you can sing) you child will imitate.

Time to wake up

What could be better than a classic like You are my Sunshine? Here it is from our Rise and Shine collection:

What about the Beatles Here Comes the Sun, or perhaps a piece of classic music, like Mozart’s Eine kleine Nacht Musik (A Little Night Music – which I always thought was a bit bright for nighttime).

It’s time to eat

Let’s get some food in that belly. I’ve been humming this one around the house, causing questioning smiles from my wife. What can I say – it’s catchy! Here’s Food is Good from our Yum album:

You can be creative with this one. There’s a great Bare Naked Ladies tune from their children’s album, Snacktime! Take a listen to Food Party. And can we take a minute to mention how awesome it is that BNL recorded a kids album?

Travel

Need to get in the car? Gotta make a stop at the pharmacy or pick up the older sibling? How about This Little Car from Zoom!

There are countless songs and pieces of music that can work here. Use your imagination. What about the William Tell Overture? You can make it a game – race (safely) to see who can get ready to go first!

Playtime

Time to move, friends. Maybe time to go outside and run, dance, and jump! Well…I think another classic ought to do it…Ring Around the Rosey from our Playtime collection.

Remember, just about anything will work. I actually would use the Gloria movement from Ariel Ramirez’s Missa Criolla to get my oldest ready for bed, despite the fact that it is uptempo. He loved being swung around the room to the latin rhythms and when the slow section came up, we’d head back to his bedroom. he was ready. Once you associate a song with an activity, your child will pick up the association very quickly.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Creativity is Key

I hope this has provided you with some ideas. Go crazy. Try different songs until you find the mix that works well for your child. Everyone responds differently. Maybe there is a song from your Kindermusik classes that rings true with your kiddo; maybe you haven’t tried out a class to find out! Regardless, I want to know how this works for you! Tell us about your playlists! Email me at dr.boyle@markaboyle.com. Share your parenting playlist with the Kindermusik family.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Calm Your Baby by Singing

If there was something that could keep your baby calm for twice as long as anything else, would you use it? New research from the University of Montreal has discovered the secret… singing to your baby!

At Kindermusik, we could be considered something of an expert on not just what to sing to your baby, but also how to sing to your baby. (And don’t panic. Our suggestions have nothing to do with voice lessons or singing in public.) Since we’re also all about making parenting a little easier and a whole lot more musical, here are some of our best tips for what and how to sing to your little one. You can thank us later for being able to enjoy twice the amount of calm!

What to sing to your baby

You Are My Sunshine*
Love Somebody*
Everybody Loves Baby*
Skinnamarink
May There Always Be Sunshine
Golden Slumbers
Tell Me Why

FREEBIE! Download the songs marked with an asterisk (*) for free here. Other songs are available for purchase here.

How to sing to your baby

Even if you’d never sing a solo in public, remember that your voice is the most beautiful sound in the world to your child.
Forgot the words? No problem. Humming works too!
While standing, gently sway to the steady beat as you sing. The combination of your singing and the side-to-side pendulum-like motion is very soothing.
Use both the power of music and intentional touch. After bath time, incorporate a little infant massage as you sing to your baby.
Sing in the car. No one will ever know that it’s the third time around singing “Skinnamarink” because it’s your favorite song too!
Cuddle your baby close and rock together. Your little one will love feeling the reassuring vibration of your vocal chords and the gentle thump of your heartbeat.

Looking for other ways to calm your baby? Come visit a Kindermusik class and learn from an early childhood expert.

Shared by Kindermusik educator and award-winning program owner Theresa Case, who has loved every opportunity she’s had over the past 20-plus years to encourage parents to sing and bond with their babies.

Why Rhythmic Repetition Is Key to First-Year Language Development

Parents use early repetition by pointing to image and repeating its name with baby.

What can rhythmic repetition do? Encourage that first word, first sentence, first conversation. Repeating yourself through song or chant during the first year makes repetition less of a task and more of a joy, and babies will latch onto those joyful moments.

What science says about repetition and rhythm…

Research gives insight into the kind of caregiver-baby verbal interaction that can best spur early language development, so that by the time babies become toddlers, they have a larger vocabulary, stronger comprehension skills, and sharper speech abilities.

What to Do When It’s a Rough Day in Kindermusik

Although it is not any more difficult to be a Kindermusik parent than it is to just be a parent, sometimes things happen in class that make it difficult to be a parent in Kindermusik class. So what to do when your child runs around, gets extra clingy, or acts out?

First, just find your breath for second. Nothing will get worse in the time it takes you to pause, and everything stands to get better for your having done it.

Next, realize that most parents are not judging you, and neither is your Kindermusik teacher. They are most likely feeling a great deal of empathy for you at the moment! And even if they were judging, this isn’t about them. It’s about the fact that your child is either hungry, tired, or just plain trying to exercise some control over his or her world.

So here’s what to do. Try engaging with your child at a level that is best at the moment. You can also feel free to disengage for a minute by sitting away from the group or even stepping out in the lobby for a bit if necessary. Perhaps your little one is just a bit too over-stimulated and needs some calm and quiet. A snack and a drink out in the lobby may be all it takes to resurrect that happy little person you normally live with and enjoy in class.

If your child isn’t quite ready to relinquish an instrument or object, that’s okay. Give it a minute. Some kids need more time than others to transition. Once we’ve moved on to a different activity, most kids aren’t so interested in that particular instrument anymore and will be happy to put it where it goes.

It may be that your little one didn’t get enough sleep or is starting to get sick and just doesn’t feel well. If you need to leave, send us an e-mail and we can reschedule! We happily offer unlimited make-up classes. [Note: Contact your local educator for options for rescheduling or makeup classes.]

And, finally, check out Becky Bailey’s work for additional discipline resources—there are lots of free ideas on her website.

Remember that it can take several time for your child to adjust to Kindermusik, whether it’s his first classes ever or she’s just getting used to being with back in the routine or with some new friends. Kids are kids. We wouldn’t have been in the business of Kindermusik for so many years now if we didn’t accept and love them just the same!

Connect with other parents who can relate to your parenting stage. Visit a local Kindermusik class today!

Shared by Theresa Case who has an award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in the beautiful upstate of South Carolina. This post first appeared on the Piano Central Studios blog.