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Parenting a special needs child

Are you the parent of a special needs child, or know someone who is? It can be as challenging as it is rewarding, and sometimes a little extra help is welcome.

We recently came across a magazine called Parenting Children with Special Needs. It’s relatively new and currently only being distributed in print in the Kansas City area, but it’s available online to anyone. The content is not specific to any region or situation. You’ll find some really great stuff there that is sure to be valuable.

Magazines like this, and others like it, give parents and caregivers ideas, suggestion, and–sometimes most importantly–support, when it comes to raising a child with special needs.

At Kindermusik International, we often here stories from parents and educators who have seen success with Kindermusik when it comes to their special needs child. In many cases, music is one of the rare things that the child responds to. We’re proud to have our name associated with helping special needs children and their parents in any way we can.

So if you’re a parent looking for a little help, a supportive word, or something new to try, there are resources out there. We’ll routinely post them here at Minds at Music. Have a special needs resource you want to share? Post it in the comments area below!

Want to try Kindermusik with your special needs child to see if it’s a good fit? You can find classes and sign up for a free class preview at our Kindermusik Class Finder.

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Meet a Kindermusik educator: Simone Melder

Each week we feature a randomly selected Kindermusik educator from around the world. This week, meet Simone!

Name:
Simone Melder

Location:
Blackburn South, Victoria, Australia

Number of years you’ve taught Kindermusik:
Eight

Studio name and link:
Kindermusik with Simone
http://www.kindermusikwithsimone.com.au

Describe yourself in five words or less:
positive, nurturing, fun-loving, compassionate

Favorite Kindermusik song:
Skinnamarink

Favorite Kindermusik activity, and why:
Snowflakes are falling – from Hello Weather.  I just LOVE the look of sheer delight on the children’s faces, when they open their eyes and find that snowflakes have fallen on them and all around the room!

A proud moment in a Kindermusik classroom:
My proudest moment was when a child who had spent four lessons burying her face in her mother’s bosom, too shy to participate , suddenly came “alive” and started taking part in everything.  She was my Kindermusik star!

Something your Kindermusik children or families have taught you (could be inspirational, humorous, practical, etc.):
The children have taught me to expect the unexpected.  Never rely on a “plan” because your plan can go haywire in a split second. I have learned to stay centered and calm in the midst of chaos!!

Something funny a child has said or done in your classroom:
When introducing Bach to my ABC Music and Me class, I said that Bach had died many years ago.  One little girl asked me “Did he go to heaven?”  to which I replied, I am sure he did as he wrote such beautiful music!

The reason you teach:
There is nothing that gives me greater joy than to bring the joy of  music into the lives of so many children.  I found Kindermusik late in life, after spending 40 boring, unproductive years in an Administrative position.  I am very grateful that I have been able to follow my dream and that I am still fit and healthy and, at my age, am able to crawl around the room like a caterpillar, or flutter like a butterfly!  The children make me come alive and I consider them part of my family.

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Kids can get stressed too

Relaxation is something we all search for, yet we don’t always find time for it. Life can be stressful and fast-paced, and it’s often difficult to find time to let our bodies and minds relax. Sometimes even when we’re “relaxing” we’re thinking about what’s next on the to-do list!

Adults stress tend to stress about grown-up things like the responsibilities of maintaining a family, paying the bills, and so on. But children experience stress too. They may not be able to express it, but here are some behaviors that could be signs of stress:

  • > mood changes
  • > changes in sleep patterns or nightmares
  • > exhibiting behaviors of a younger age (thumb sucking, bedwetting, clinging, etc.)
  • > no appetite or wanting to eat all the time
  • > needing to go to the bathroom frequently
  • > nail biting
  • > engaging in disruptive behavior

If you notice some sudden changes in your child’s behavior,  stress could be a factor.

You may ask what on earth could they be stressed about? After all, they don’t have any bills to pay! Children tend to experience stress in new situations, when changes happen, or when they are confronted with challenges that require new skills. These might include learning to play with a new toy, learning to share with a sibling, making new friends, completing a project, and so on.

But don’t get stress yourself! Parents and caregivers can model and teach children ways to manage stress. Here are a few suggestions:

  • > keep a consistent routine
  • > make sure the child is getting enough sleep
  • > if the source of stress can be removed, simply remove it
  • > laugh, joke, sing, dance
  • > set aside some quiet time
  • > do something active to relieve stress, like jumping, running, or playing
  • > do a creative, calming activity like coloring

These activities will help your child learn to manage stress and deal with challenging situations. (Of course, if a behavior persists or becomes a serious issue, you may need to consult your physician.)

The goal is simple: make your kids feel good. When they feel good, you feel good!

What other activities can we do with our children to help them manage stress? Post an idea in the comments area below.

Special thanks to Kindermusik educator Vanessa Cabrera for sharing this post from her Language, Music & More blog. Information about Vanessa’s Maryland Kindermusik program can be found at her blog.

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One group’s Kindermusik journey

Today was the final class for my first group of “graduating” kids, who are moving on from Kindermusik to other activities. When I first became licensed as a Kindermusik Educator, I had no idea what to expect.  My first year, I had less than a dozen students, and struggled to keep up with the demands of memorizing so many lesson plans in addition to my regular private lessons and my job as Korben and Sophie’s mom.

My first two classes were toddlers in Our Time (Sophie’s class) and kids in Young Child, which included Korben and my good friend Carrie’s twins.  The second year, I didn’t have enough interest to make a Young Child 3 group, so I called Lisa Arriaga at “Sing and Play Fine Arts” in Pearland to see if she was offering YC 3, and she said, “I’ll offer it if you’ll come teach it!”  I didn’t want Korben to miss out, so I jumped at the chance, and I really enjoyed teaching a fun group of girls… and Korben.  At the end of the fall, the girls all decided to switch to piano.  Korben’s been studying piano in addition to KM since he was 4, so I was disappointed that he wouldn’t get to learn the recorder in Kindermusik class.

Meanwhile, I began a new group of Young Child students on Semester 1 and 2, and that group stayed together through the first year, summer Adventures, and Semester 3.  When they re-enrolled in Semester 4, I was thrilled!  Korben is 7 now, so he was still young enough to join their class and finish the Young Child program.  Another of my private students who was struggling with private instruction also joined the class for this final semester, and we have all had SO much fun this spring.

In order from left to right, I’d like to take a moment to share my favorite experiences with each of these kids.  Sarah is the quietest in the class.  She often will come and whisper to me what her choice for movement in our hello song is.  She is also very sweet and has drawn me pictures and cards that I treasure, and is quite the artist.  She is the most musical of all the kids in the class, and practices with dedication that will serve her well as she begins to study piano.  Andy is the class clown.  He likes to be the center of attention, and I see a career in performance in his future.  He is highly intelligent and curious, and has kept me on my toes.  Bailey just joined us this spring, but she is very quick to learn all the new songs we sing.  She has a great ear and a big voice for someone so small, and she really enjoyed being in a group setting.  Korben is the oldest in the group, and he struggled at times with the job of being a good example for the other kids, as not only the oldest, but the teacher’s son.  He had the easiest time playing the recorder, since he had a whole year of development on most of the kids.  Jordan is my silly sweetheart.  She likes to joke around, but she also is the most physically affectionate of the class.  She would be happy just to sit in my lap, no matter what we were doing.

As a voice teacher, I am amazed at how much the children’s voices developed over the course of their Kindermusik experience.  Without exception, all of the children who graduated today are able to sing accurately on pitch. Jordan’s mom said, “I don’t know where she got it from!  It certainly wasn’t me.”  Well, I know where Jordan got it from… Kindermusik!  The best part about it is that the kids don’t even realize that they’re learning to sing accurately – they think we’re just playing games. They think it’s super fun, and sing all kinds of songs to our simple melodies from class, and that practices that skill of  singing on pitch.

I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to know and love these children.  I will miss having them as students, and I know that they will be more successful in all their future educational endeavors for having taken Kindermusik, regardless of whether they’re studying music or math.  I look forward to having many more graduating classes in the coming years, but this first class will always hold a special place in my heart.
-Tabby Worthington

Thanks to Tabby and her class for allowing us to share this great story and photo collage. We’re proud of her and these kids, and know they are all on to great things! More info on Tabby’s Houston Bay area Kindermusik program can be found at www.kmtabby.com.

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Meet a Kindermusik educator: Peggy Durbin

Each week we feature a randomly selected Kindermusik educator from around the world. This week, meet Peggy!

Name:
Peggy Durbin

Location:
Columbia, MD 21042

Studio name and link:
Kindermusik with Peggy Durbin
www.makingmusik.com/peggydurbin

Number of years you’ve taught Kindermusik:
16

Describe yourself in five words or less:
Dedicated, Dependable, Organized, Positive & Easy-Going

Favorite Kindermusik song:
Walk & Stop – so simple, effective and adaptable

Favorite Kindermusik activity, and why:
I love Roll Over, Rover. Adults lose their inhibitions about being in a class with new people and just focus on having fun with their children.  Children love it when adults are playful and engaged.

A proud moment in a Kindermusik classroom:
My proudest moments are when families enroll their second, third or fourth child.  That shows me that they value the experience so much that they must provide it for all of their children.

Something your Kindermusik children or families have taught you (could be inspirational, humorous, practical, etc.):
A Kindermusik mother of a newborn child told me that her child stopped nursing when the music stopped in the Jasmine Flower song!  What a great example that even the youngest child learns from the experiences in a Kindermusik classroom.

Something funny a child has said or done in your classroom:
Often parents will initially express concern that their child may not participate when visiting a free class.  I love it when the child leaves mom or dad’s lap to sit with me during the class!

The reason you teach:
Young children energize me!  I love introducing the world to them through music and movement.  Not only is it enriching to the children, but it also opens the eyes of many parents on how to interact and play with their children.  Play is how young children learn!

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Growing up Kindermusik

Recently, we refreshed our kindermusik.com homepage (have you seen it?) with some new colors and photos. Those who visit the site often immediately started asking about the cute new homepage photo.

The photo is of Kindermusik educator Kathy Morrison and several of the kids in her class. Kathy’s program, Kathy’s Music, has been in the top 1% of Kindermusik programs for five years running.

The photo is about two years old, and in a recent email exchange with Kathy, she commented about the children pictured. She writes:

This was a Kindermusik Village class that I taught about two and a half years ago.  Each time I see this on Kindermusik.com, it gives me a little jolt because that’s me and those are my students. How cool is that, and how sweet are those children?!

Now these children are 3 years old and have moved up through our Kindermusik program as the years have gone by.  Teaching children as babies and having the opportunity to watch them grow and learn along the way – that’s why I teach Kindermusik. It’s why I work hard every day to provide an excellent classroom experience that is fun for the families, educational for the children, and helps make great parenting easier.

Once upon a time, it was one of my own children, as a baby, on the floor  in a Kindermusik class. My children’s lives were so enriched by Kindermusik over the years and I want to pass that along to other children and families in our community.

We thank Kathy for sharing her passion, both in words and picture. It’s such a nice little snapshot of Kindermusik in action. Kathy’s Music has four locations in and around Pittsburgh. You can visit her studio’s website or blog.

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Extravagant fondness and passion

photo from CNN.com

I was awestruck by Luis Soriano, of Magdalena, Columbia (click here to see Luis’s story on CNN.com) whose passion for early childhood literacy takes him, astride his “biblioburro” for five hours at a time, to share books with children in rural villages. Self funded, using his weekends, his 4,200 books are now the largest library in his community.

I think of his passion as an extravagant fondness for education. Why extravagant? Because it extends beyond reason, beyond what is convenient and easy.

Kindermusik is a community of passionate educators. I received an update from an educator in the Chicago area today who has maintained her Kindermusik teaching schedule despite months of chemotherapy and radiation – all so the children can learn from her strength. In turn, she is buoyed by the children and the music.

May we all sing through our challenges, ride burros for literacy and generally act with extravagant fondness for what we know makes a difference in our world.
-Michael Dougherty, CEO of Kindermusik International

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Why Kindermusik educators do what they do

There are lots of reasons why Kindermusik educators do what they do. But the story below illustrates a thread common to every Kindermusik educator in the world – to help children learn and grow into amazing adults.

This story was shared with us by Kindermusik educator, Uta Weiland in Greensburg, PA.

In early April, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette published an article about one of Uta’s former Kindermusik students. The student, Kaitlin Price, is now 16 years old and clearly way ahead of the curve, as the article’s title suggests. Kaitlin’s mom attributes lots of her daughter’s success to attending Kindermusik classes as a child. In the article, Kaitlin had this to say about her early educational experiences:

“I could already read in kindergarten,” said Kaitlyn, a senior at Shaler Area High School. “So when other kids were learning their ABCs, I went down to the principal’s office and read to him because I had nothing better to do. And he listened to me read the Harry Potter books, if I recall correctly.”

When Uta asked Kaitlin’s mom if she could share the article with others involved in Kindermusik, Kaitlin’s mom said:

“I would be honored to have you use it for the good of Kindermusik. I do often try to recruit for you guys. I KNOW Kindermusik was a large part of why my kids are as successful as they are. Sometimes I’m so jealous of them because they have that music knowledge. Being comfortable with reading music has such an impact on all aspects of learning. Hope her story can gather more to the fold.”

We know Uta deeply appreciated that, and the rest of us at Kindermusik do too. Good luck to Kaitlin on all her future endeavors. There is no doubt big things lie ahead!

Want to read the full article that was published about Kaitlin? Click here.