tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88693250313641501722024-03-13T23:39:50.666-05:00Kindermusik of Holland has movedWhy I love Kindermusik and why I love my job...What's the secret?
What's happenin' and what's to do around town to jump into live music, find it here. Cool musical and imaginative moments from Kindermusik of Holland and beyond, log on! Witness the moment when we know we humans are born to sing, born to dance. Share the Joy!
For Yvette's current Kindermusik Classes please go to www.ashevilleartscenter.com. Please call 828-253-4000 to visit a class in Asheville NC for free.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger211125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-64983531449102365002008-12-02T22:33:00.002-05:002008-12-02T22:36:47.636-05:00Come Follow, Follow, Follow, Follow ME!Whither shall I follow, follow, follow,<br />Whither shall I follow, follow, thee?<br />Too the Greenwood, to the greenwood,<br />to the greenwood, greenwood tree!<br /><br />(I have a new name for my new blog:)<br /><a href="http://www.yskindermusik.blogspot.com"><br />Y's Kindermusik blog....</a><br /><br />Thanks for following......<br />Hope you're still singing and twirling~<br />YvetteUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-89420695781908521042008-09-13T20:35:00.004-05:002008-09-13T20:52:18.530-05:00The view from here....Put your eye to the viewfinder. Here is the picture: (I regret I didn't have my camera) The trail reminds me a little of the Saugatuck Dunes State Park trails except maybe there's more rise to the slope and more undergrowth, more vines. It's pretty humid. There's 20 hikers gathered, like every Friday year round, with the "Let's Take a Hike" group out of Asheville. Their T-shirt motto is "Quit whining. Keep Climbing!" They count off so that when they come to the end they can account for everyone. Looking around at the circle I think how they seem pretty serious with their ski poles and packs. I'd say most in the group are in their 60's give or take. My mom has invited me to tag along. She's 81. As we begin the ascent she warns me "I might not make good conversation when I'm out of breath". It's a bit more humid than normal she says, it has stormed recently and there's lots of interesting mushrooms on the trail. As the trail begins to intensify I notice a couple folks pull to the side to catch their breath, I'm panting and red in the face but I don't want to lag behind Mom! My conversation lags! When we get to the top the view is splendid..... the valley and the highway below, green-green-green the whole earth is lush....In a couple weeks the tourists will be here looking for color. <br /><br />There is color in my mom's face but mine is really red! A group member comments to me "Isn't she great!! " pointing to Mom.<br /><br />This is what I came to see. <br /><br />I should mention that whenever she introduces me to anyone she does not overlook the chance to tell them about Kindermusik and all the benefits of the program...in case anyone's grandchildren should be young enough for my classes!<br /><br />Sorry I forgot my camera.<br /><br />My legs are sore.<br />YvetteUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-47344802058443894322008-09-13T20:32:00.001-05:002008-09-13T20:34:39.036-05:00International Peace Day Sept. 21<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LPaaUY9_j80&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LPaaUY9_j80&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-53935984830405487652008-09-07T21:08:00.002-05:002008-09-07T21:22:48.408-05:00Years ago on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, right out of college, I shared a big farmhouse with a roommate and her dogs. One of the dogs was a <em>Weimaraner... </em> Owho really enjoyed singing along with my flute students. Bitsy would sit right next to my chair and sing and sing and sing her heart out. If I stopped playing she'd stop singing...when I started back up she'd start back up. She looked so forlorn if I took her out of earshot for the lesson, you could tell she loved her voice lesson!<br /><br /> Anne's new cello teacher, Miss Frances, has a dog that reminds me of Bitsy. Chloe has been singing for cello lessons for quite some time. When Miss France's daughter practices violin she considers it sing along time too. Some songs are just OK but if she know's the piece well she really belts it! Some of Chloe's friends have captured her on this little video...The videos are called www.littlepearls.org and they have some very beautiful ones if you care to browse around. Enjoy your day and sing it from the roof-tops.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyeXonjwEzgo7xnovHJotCad861PyBYCxYwmREMIv8-TQTRZFU5hN2y9_MOvOt58iG3EMYgt3Jkm-5PrVvNbw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Love, YvetteUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-86076606844801731772008-09-05T16:38:00.003-05:002008-09-05T17:13:49.030-05:00Peek-a-boo<span style="font-size:78%;">Hello friends, It's me...Yvette ...<br /><br />Are you still there? Have you been waiting for me? I think I'm ready to get back to posting, I know I promised.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Things to do:<br />Download phots from my camera (Anne took some shots of me with my TRUCK)<br />Change my driver's license.</span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">(I have to take a written test!)</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Get new tags for my car.<br />Get new magnets for my car.<br />Register to vote!<br />Change my address for journals.<br />Figure out the online banking for my new bank.<br />Change the message greeting on my cell phone (still says Kindermusik of Holland).<br />Get business cards.<br />Unpack more boxes.<br />Find my tea kettle.<br />Write Thank You letters.....(I couldn't have done it without the help...the generous, generous help).<br />Go to the local farmers markets.<br />Make salsa.<br />Find a coffee shop as good as Lemonjello's.<br />Go to the local La Leche League meeting (that's the 4th Saturday).<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Make new friends</span></span>.<br /><br />Miss you....miss you all,<br />Yvette<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-25695298599715736272008-07-02T16:43:00.002-05:002008-07-02T16:58:26.403-05:00cleaning off my deskThe "perma crud" is pretty amazing! But among the bills, scraps of lists and reminders, photos, love letters from you and your children, and other stuff (some of it unidentifiable) ... that I've kept on top I've also found some thought provoking quotes that I'd written down. The first one has probably been on my desk for 3 years. I love it and I think about all the people who are taking care of children...that we should remind themselves that:<br /><br /><blockquote>This world is nothing more than Beauty's chance to show Herself.<br />And what are we?<br />Nothing more than Beauty's chance to see Herself. For if Beauty were not seeking Herself we would not exist.... </blockquote><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Ghalib</span><br /><br />These next two quotes are more recently added to the piles on my desk. They are by different people but definitely related. I apply them to parenting and to teaching. I regret the times I was a "monster" to my independent toddlers! But I forgive myself and try to learn through my mistakes.<br /><br /><blockquote>Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.</blockquote><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">F. Nietzsche</span><br /><br /><blockquote>I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.</blockquote><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Ghandi</span><br /><br />Peace,<br />YvetteUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-31838200491314247062008-06-26T22:07:00.005-05:002008-06-26T22:28:17.954-05:00I surely won't stop blogging.......Only 3% of the general public really "get into" classical music. Why?<br /><br />Why do so many people want their children to learn to play the piano? And why do so many children give it up after only a few years?<br /><br />What if the <span style="font-weight: bold;">whole world</span> <span style="font-size:130%;">LOVED</span> classical music?<br /><br />Oh, and do you know anyone who is "tone deaf"? Here's a video of one of my favorite musicians.<br /><!--cut and paste--><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="VE_Player" width="432" align="middle" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://static.videoegg.com/ted2/flash/loader.swf"><param name="FlashVars" value="bgColor=FFFFFF&file=http://static.videoegg.com/ted/movies/BenjaminZander_2008_high.flv&autoPlay=false&fullscreenURL=http://static.videoegg.com/ted/flash/fullscreen.html&forcePlay=false&logo=&allowFullscreen=true"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="scale" value="noscale"><param name="wmode" value="window"><embed src="http://static.videoegg.com/ted2/flash/loader.swf" flashvars="bgColor=FFFFFF&file=http://static.videoegg.com/ted/movies/BenjaminZander_2008_high.flv&autoPlay=false&fullscreenURL=http://static.videoegg.com/ted/flash/fullscreen.html&forcePlay=false&logo=&allowFullscreen=true" quality="high" allowscriptaccess="always" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" scale="noscale" wmode="window" name="VE_Player" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="432" align="middle" height="285"></embed></object><br />Thanks for watching.<br />What would the world look like if we never said anything that wouldn't stand the test of being the very last thing you would ever say to them.....to your children, your partner, anyone?<br /><br />Make a difference.<br />Love,<br />YvetteUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-79927173591839066572008-06-26T21:32:00.001-05:002008-06-26T22:42:32.209-05:00Thank You<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SGRgnZu5r-I/AAAAAAAAAno/YuEcnO1k-9A/s1600-h/snd_relationship_fam_book1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SGRgnZu5r-I/AAAAAAAAAno/YuEcnO1k-9A/s320/snd_relationship_fam_book1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216400498440646626" border="0" /></a><br /><style></style><div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >Dear friends,<br />A bunch of years ago I read a book called the Five Love Languages of Children. It's a great book by Gary Chapman.</span><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span></div><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Gerhardt/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpg" alt="" /><div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >These 5 love languages are</span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;" ><em>Time (presence)</em></span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;" ><em>Gifts</em></span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;" ><em>Touch</em></span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;" ><em>Acts of Service</em></span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >and ....</span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >um...</span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >I always forget the one that speaks to me! Of course. We moms tend to do that.....</span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />Oh, yes....</span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >I do remember:</span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;" ><em><br />Words of Affirmation</em></span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >From the bottom of my aching heart I so appreciate the kind words you have written to me and spoken to me since I've broken the news of my moving to North Carolina. I treasure them. I do feel very loved. Thank you.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SGRhKyNFMMI/AAAAAAAAAnw/bYh5OIafDfw/s1600-h/Heartsong.bmp"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 86px; height: 90px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SGRhKyNFMMI/AAAAAAAAAnw/bYh5OIafDfw/s200/Heartsong.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216401106305102018" border="0" /></a><br /></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >Love,</span></div> <div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >Yvette</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-748851964854410352008-06-22T17:17:00.007-05:002008-08-09T13:23:22.105-05:00Farewell<p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><o:p></o:p></p> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Dear Friends,</p><p class="MsoNormal">Have you ever experienced when your toddler, busy in the adjacent room, becomes very quiet for a stretch of time...you jump up in a panic to check because surely something is up? Well, I've been quiet on this blog for a bit and sure enough something is up. My heart is trying to make some distance so it doesn't break too badly in saying goodbye.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br />“The winds of change are blowing my way. I can feel it in my bones.” This quote comes with a melody sung by the children’s music group, Gemini, that often performs in the <st1:city><st1:place>Holland</st1:place></st1:city> area. It’s been playing in my head and heart for a month now. I am relocating to <st1:place><st1:city>Asheville</st1:city> <st1:state>North Carolina</st1:state></st1:place>! It is exciting to be moving close to extended family members but at the same time I am experiencing great depths of sadness at leaving the <st1:city><st1:place>Holland</st1:place></st1:city> community and my “Kindermusik fan club”!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Needless to say I have great concern about passing the baton of Kindermusik on to an entity in the Holland area who can continue to offer this premier program to the many families who have and will continue to look to Kindermusik for their children’s musical beginnings and for the program that nurtures relationships between adults and children and gives children a solid start in cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">If you would like to connect with me on the possibilities of Kindermusik of Holland being part of your passion, part of your umbrella of music and art programs, and part of your community building relations programs please contact me at your earliest convenience.<span style=""> </span>I will be formally closing the doors of my studio on <st1:date month="7" day="20" year="2008">July 25<sup>th</sup>, 2008</st1:date>.<span style=""> I know I have lots of details to wrap up and if you have any questions or need to remind me of anything...please drop me an email.<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Musically yours,</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:personname><st2:givenname><span style="font-family:Arial;">Yvette</span></st2:givenname><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span><st2:middlename><span style="font-family:Arial;">Odell</span></st2:middlename><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span><st2:sn><span style="font-family:Arial;">Kindermusik</span></st2:sn></st1:personname></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" > of </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style="font-family:Arial;">Holland</span></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:phone phonenumber="6163927182"><span style="font-family:Arial;">616-392-7182</span></st1:phone></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><a href="http://holland.kindermusik.net/">http://holland.kindermusik.net</a><br /><a href="http://www.kindermusikofholland.blogspot.com/">www.kindermusikofholland.blogspot.com</a><br /><a href="mailto:singandtwirl@sbcglobal.net">singandtwirl@sbcglobal.net</a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >"Imagination is more important than knowledge." </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:personname><st2:givenname><span style="font-family:Arial;">A.</span></st2:givenname><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span><st2:sn><span style="font-family:Arial;">Einstein</span></st2:sn></st1:personname></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-73421999665186759702008-06-09T08:52:00.004-05:002008-06-09T09:23:38.656-05:00The POWER of a few moms.....<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><object height="350" width="425"><param value="http://youtube.com/v/-3-YGLnoELQ" name="movie"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://youtube.com/v/-3-YGLnoELQ" height="350" width="425"></embed></object></p><p>Just over 50 years ago a group of moms met at a picnic and started chatting. These moms each had young babies in common. Through their passionate conversation and connection they were inspired to meet again with the purpose to nurture precious support in their choice to breastfeed their babies. By word of mouth other moms joined the conversation. Soon it was necessary to organize and allow circles of moms all over the world to benefit from the information and support these few women had begun to amass. This is the story of La Leche League.<br /><br />This story means a lot to me because in the first 10 days or so of nursing my first baby I teetered on the edge of giving up because of soreness. Calling a La Leche League leader saved me! I've attended meetings for over 20 years and have for the past 13 years as a leader been helping moms who are asking the same kinds of questions I asked!<br /><br />La Leche Leage has been a powerful entity in my forming of my philosophy on parenting and nurturing children in general. Perhaps most poignant was that La Leche League encouraged me to listen to my heart first in everything I do concerning my work with children.<br /><br />Yesterday, June 8, 2008, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_JblhwMkpA">Edwina Froehlich</a>, one of the moms in that very first conversation at the picnic in Chicago, passed away at 93 years young. Many La Leche League friends are wearing a pearl necklace in her honor this week. I'll be wearing mine in gratitude for her passion and activism.<br />LLLove,<br />Yvette</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-36220381323786099072008-05-29T16:14:00.002-05:002008-05-29T16:27:42.799-05:00GOING GREEN<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My daughter Claire has been involved in this little project at church. It's a <span style="font-weight: bold;">community wide</span> event so walk on over, bike on over, skate on </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">over!</span></span><span style="font-size: 72pt; font-family: Andy; color: black;"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 72pt; font-family: Andy; color: black;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 72pt; font-family: Andy; color: black;"> Travel Green!</span><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 23pt; font-family: Andy; color: black;">The Blessing of All Green Modes of Transportation<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Excited about eco-friendly travel?<span style=""> </span>Whether it’s a bicycle, stroller, fuel efficient vehicle, skateboard, or feet, come have it</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: "@Gulim"; color: black;"> </span><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Andy; color: black;">blessed!</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: "@Gulim"; color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Literature will be available on topics such as bicycle safety, personal wellness, and environmental impact. We’ll also have maps of trails, giveaways, and more!</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">All are welcomed to this free community event. Bring a friend and a nonperishable food item for the St. Vincent de Paul Center.<span style=""> </span>For more info call<b> </b></span><st1:personname><st2:givenname><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Carol</span></st2:GivenName><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><st2:sn><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Vandergriff</span></st2:Sn></st1:PersonName><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> at </span><st1:phone phonenumber="6163924434"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">(616) 392-4434</span></st1:phone><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Saturday, June 14 at </span></b><st1:time minute="0" hour="15"><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">3:00 pm</span></b></st1:time><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">at<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><st1:personname><st2:sn><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">St.</span></b></st2:Sn><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span></b><st2:sn><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Francis</span></b></st2:Sn></st1:PersonName><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> de Sales Catholic Church<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><st1:street><st1:address><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">195 W 13th St.</span></b></st1:address></st1:Street><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> in </span></b><st1:city><st1:place><b><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Holland</span></b></st1:place></st1:City><span style="font-size: 20pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 22pt; font-family: Andy; color: black;">Support our planet...<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 22pt; font-family: Andy; color: black;">...promote wellness</span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: 22pt; font-family: Andy; color: black;"></span><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-71224360189583195442008-05-29T15:53:00.002-05:002008-05-29T16:08:09.091-05:00Summer Music<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Kindermusik classes are over!<br /></span>I'm missing you already! What do we do now? Before you are over involved in activities make sure you reserve your one on one time with your children. Sign up for the <a href="http://holland.kindermusik.net">Kindermusik summer sessions</a> right now!!<br /><br />I've already started my summer job at the Holland Farmer's Market! I have enjoyed seeing some of my "fan club" out to buy plants for the garden. The Boeve's (that's the farmer that I work for) sell lots of tomato and pepper plants and other veggies for making up your garden. My favorite plants though, are the herbs. Come by for some aromatherapy!<br /><br />Every Wednesday at the market from 10am to noon there will be children's programming. So on June 11 I will be there with some Kindermusik activities! Come for the fun!<br /><h2>Farmers Market Kids Activities: Kindermusik at the Market (Session One)</h2> <p>Wednesday June 11, 10:00 AM</p> <p class="vcard"> <span class="adr"> <span class="fn org">Eighth Street Marketplace</span> <span class="street-address">150 West Eighth Street</span> <span class="locality">Holland</span>, <span class="region">MI</span> <span class="postal-code">49423</span> </span> <span class="geo"> <span class="latitude">42.790063</span>, <span class="longitude">-86.11421</span> </span> </p> <p>Yvette Odell, from Kindermusik of Holland will be back at the market with fun farm songs and engaging activities for children. She’ll spark the imagination with songs about everything from corn seeds and cabbages to sun and rain. Spend the morning singing, twirling, and making music at the market!</p> <p>The Big Read Bus will visit the Farmers Market from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with great books for fun summer reading!</p> <p>Admission: free</p> Organized by: Downtown Holland Principal Shopping District<br /> Contact: Holland Farmers Market<br /> 616.355.1130<br /> <a href="http://www.hollandfarmersmarket.com/" rel="external">http://www.hollandfarmersmarket.com</a><a href="http://www.hollandfarmersmarket.com/" rel="external"><em></em></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-64260427992266764652008-05-19T10:26:00.003-05:002008-05-19T10:43:43.307-05:00<span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" ><img src="http://www.semfa.org/GalwayJames.jpg" border="0" height="281" width="200" /></span></span> <span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" align="center"> <span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" > <b><span style="font-size:11;">SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2008 * HILL AUDITORIUM, ANN ARBOR</span></b></span></span></p> <span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" align="center"> <span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" > <b><span style="font-size:11;">The University Musical Society honors flutist Sir James Galway at the </span></b> </span></span></p> <span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" > </span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" align="center"> <span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" > <b><span style="font-size:11;">13th Annual Ford Honors Program.</span></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" align="center"><br /><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" ><b><span style="font-size:11;"></span></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:11;">So</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:11;">.....I must brag a little!!! My flute duet friend and I went this concert and as part of the award to honor Sir James Galway we played a brand new piece of flute music commissioned as a surprise gift for him. The piece was a fantasie on "Oh, Danny Boy" and it was bea</span></span></span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:11;"></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:11;">utiful. So I've been going around telling everyone that <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I PLAYED FOR James Galway! </span></span>(Hey, my name is even listed!)<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> </span><<<grin>>> Of course the details are that there were over 100 flutes in this choir but it was very much a thrill for me! Sir James Galway said that out of all the halls in the world to play in his favorite was the opera hall in Sydney Australia and second was Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor. True; as I listened to his concert I felt like my head was inside the piano...I could hear the felt of the hammers hit the strings and at the same time the flute was in perfect balance....It was a beautiful concert. I also enjoyed hearing his wife play with him on the </grin></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >Franz & Karl Doppler : Rigoletto Fantasy</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;" >As I look at the program book I'm thinking...."Now I HAVE to start a scrapbook!"<br /></span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-58223936553328605172008-05-09T11:10:00.002-05:002008-05-09T11:14:54.871-05:00Listening with our whole bodies...<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><object height="350" width="425"><param value="http://youtube.com/v/_XySczRNv8s" name="movie"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://youtube.com/v/_XySczRNv8s" height="350" width="425"></embed></object></p><p>Here's a very interesting video clip which touches on the importance of listening with the perspective of helping Autistic children. I hope you notice that they are stimulating the children's vestibular system WHILE they are listening. (Rocking, swinging etc.)<br /><br />I found a little more about how babies use listening while they are in utero (which is ALWAYS in motion) from <a href="http://207.237.45.167:96/SI/valeriedejean.org/index.html">Valerie DeJean.</a><br /></p><p><a href="http://www.tomatis.com/English/">Tomatis </a>talks at length about the importance of fetal listening in the development of all the vestibular functions we have discussed so far, much of them related to the development of praxis. He also the importance of fetal listening on the later development of language.</p> <p> We know that the ear is functioning in utero at five months gestation.</p> <p> Babies are born imprinted to their mothers voice because they have been bathed in the sound of it for the last four months of gestation.</p> <p> Phonemes are the smallest units of sound from which we form words.There are 52 phonemes from which all of the worlds 6000 languages are formed.</p> <p>Ultra sound studies have shown that by the seventh month in utero, the fetus responds to each of the phonemes in a word spoken by the mother with a specific muscular movement.</p> <p>Also the fetus responds immediately, in other words there is no timedelay between the sensory input of the mother's voice and the motorresponse of the fetus. A very fast system - and most likely is the boneconduction system, which Tomatis has always described as having a very rapid conduction. All this is preparing the baby for language.</p><p> </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-53058013010808171682008-05-05T20:38:00.003-05:002008-05-05T21:17:32.725-05:00Brand New MusicOne thing that I admire is the act of commissioning a brand new musical work. This past spring was the 20 anniversary of the Holland Area Youth Orchestra and they decided to commission a new piece in celebration. The composer (Wow! A living composer!), <a href="http://www.matthewtommasini.com/SDMR.html">Matthew Tommasini</a>, posted the recording of the piece on his website. The solo violin in the 1st movement is my daughter Claire! (You know she's a Kindermusik graduate, don't you? And that she was accepted in the Lawrence University Conservatory!<br /><a class="audio" href="http://www.matthewtommasini.com/audio/SDMR.3.2.08.HAYO.mp3">Complete Recording (MP3 6MB)</a><br /><br />The title <i>Sonic Dreams Made Real</i> refers to the orchestra itself and combines elements of a violin concerto and fanfare. The first movement begins with a repeating, "dreamy" arpeggio played by the piano and percussion. From this arpeggio, a solo violin melody emerges, calling out to other members of the orchestra to begin playing. The lyrical movement builds to a climax as all the members of the orchestra enter, leading into the unrelenting, fast-paced second movement. This movement builds on motives from the opening which are finally transformed into a brass fanfare accompanied by pulsating chords in the other sections of the orchestra to the end the piece. <i>Sonic Dreams Made Real</i> was commissioned by the Holland Symphony Youth Orchestras in commemoration of their 20th anniversary season.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-18014339490812047342008-05-03T19:34:00.004-05:002008-05-03T19:56:55.972-05:00Challenge of Children<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.challengeofchildren.org/"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SB0EvLSTrAI/AAAAAAAAAng/-NFwg1ev9FI/s320/C-of-C-logo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196314753585359874" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">The 2008 Challenge of Children Conference will be held on</a><br /><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ><b>Thursday, May 15, 2008</b></span></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ><b> at Hope College, Holland, MI.</b></span></a><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"> </span><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);" href="http://www.challengeofchildren.org/"> </a><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);font-size:78%;" ><a href="http://www.challengeofchildren.org/">T</a>his free parenting conference is a community effort among Allegan, Ottawa, and Muskegon County Health and Human Service Organizations.<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">Hello Families in Holland MI,<br />We are indeed fortunate to have this wonderful annual free conference right here in our community. Please take advantage of it by REGISTERING and attending.<br /><br />Darcy is presenting again this year (morning session): Sign, Play and Sing-American Sign Language with your little one.<br />And I am presenting also (afternoon session): Sing and Twirl: Move to Learn, How the brain and the body depends on movement to grow and learn and how music can enhance learning.<br /><br />Hope to see you there!<br />Yvette<br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-54556037368021730212008-05-02T13:09:00.002-05:002008-05-02T13:10:53.155-05:00Language developement<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><object height="350" width="425"><param value="http://youtube.com/v/nRrJlqbP94w" name="movie"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://youtube.com/v/nRrJlqbP94w" height="350" width="425"></embed></object></p><p>I found the above video of an African music group. I hope you enjoy watching and listening to the language and music. If you get about 2/3 of the way through you can hear them singing a couple words in English...I nearly missed it because I was just thinking I wouldn't understand anything!<br /><br />Between 18 months old and 4 years old children are comprehending on average about 1 word for every hour they are awake. By 4 years old they would have a vocabulary of 10,000 words. It is recommended that parents speak about 17,000 words daily to their children.<br /><br />If you are using that many words then you are talking a lot! The advantage to that is you are also modeling HOW TO THINK. I'd say that's pretty valuable. Don't be afraid to wax poetic or even silly! Even those lessons are valuable.<br /><br />In our Kindermusik Our Time class (18months to 3 1/2 year olds) we did an experiment with the little Setswana folk song by taking a risk to boldly sing along with words that we didn't understand or know--without referring to the song chart. Many said that they found it very challenging-that it took a huge amount of concentration. Others commented that while they understood the first word "Hey" it was hard to sing it in time and were able to "get" the last syllable although only as an echo. Some still tried to sneak a peak at the words on the chart thereby using an adult tool of deciphering. Interesting to put yourself into the feelings a 2 year old<br />might be experiencing all day long.<br /><br />Hey, Tswana, nehe tipe same Tswana. Hey, Bwana, nehe tipe same Bwana.<br /><br /><br />Enjoy experiencing your child's world. Thank you for bringing them to Kindermusik.<br />Love and hugs,<br />Yvette</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-22082054476146513382008-04-28T22:12:00.007-05:002008-05-02T13:05:30.129-05:00TV Viewing...Last week was TV Turn-off week and we had a fun time at the Thursday event at the Dow Center. I had a wonderful time singing with the families that made the rounds of fun things to do. One family proved to me they don't watch all the TV they could by singing one of their favorite songs about numbers and vowels...in Spanish. What a treat for me to watch the Dad playing my guitar and his daughter looking way into his eyes while they sang.<br /><br />A few of the very young toddlers brought their parents back to my little area two and three times. One mom said "OK, just one more song then we're going."......."OK, just one more...." Then she said "Hi! We're back!" Her precious daughter loved the scarf play and jingling with bells...what fun!<br /><br />I hope some families will have noticed that it's not so hard to be TV free....it's precious family time.<br /><br />A few years ago I heard the author, Thomas Lewis, author of "A General Theory of Love".<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SBaUibSTq_I/AAAAAAAAAnY/rjf3r5A06Y8/s1600-h/41REJVC56TL._SL160_PIsitb-dp-arrow,TopRight,21,-23_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SBaUibSTq_I/AAAAAAAAAnY/rjf3r5A06Y8/s320/41REJVC56TL._SL160_PIsitb-dp-arrow,TopRight,21,-23_SH30_OU01_AA115_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194502539379452914" border="0" /></a>He spoke of his work with troubled teens. The statistics he shared of youth violence really pierced the heart. Then he was asking questions about how we learn empathy and gave some recommendations for working with troubled teens (and what teens don't have a zillion troubling questions all through the day...). His prescription was to mandate the family to have a minimum of 5 meals a week together with absolutely nothing electronic (no TV, radio, games, Ipods, computers, nothing) and that the family just TALK. He said one does not have to talk about anything stressful...just talk. When you talk you naturally look at each other. Something very important happens when you look at someone in the eyes during even the in most insignificant of conversations. And it has something to do with empathy....a very important skill.<br /><br />Why is something that sounds SO simple SO hard to do?<br /><br />In our house we often find ourselves still at the table with empty plates 45 minutes later....or more....deep in a great discussion....<br /><br />You've got to start somewhere. Now is a good time.<br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Gerhardt/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-3.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Gerhardt/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-4.jpg" alt="" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-63167506880687556672008-04-21T11:11:00.002-05:002008-04-21T11:41:33.459-05:00Reading, Sensory Integration, and YOUR CHILD<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SAy9DkstP5I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/9vEkAPqoT74/s1600-h/Lilipoh49CoverSM.jpg"></a><blockquote><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SAy9DkstP5I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/9vEkAPqoT74/s1600-h/Lilipoh49CoverSM.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 128px; height: 167px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SAy9DkstP5I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/9vEkAPqoT74/s400/Lilipoh49CoverSM.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191732339539787666" border="0" /><span id="ctl00_lblPageTitle" class="PageTitle">Teaching our Children to Read, Write and Spell</span></a><br /><span id="ctl00_Center_content_ctl00_lblAuthor">by Susan Johnson, M.D</span><br /><strong>Proprioceptive System </strong><br />There is a widely-held belief that if we just start teaching children to write, read, and spell in preschool, they will become better writers, readers, and spellers by the time they reach the first and second grades. This is, however, not true. The truth is that children only should be taught to write, read, and spell when their neurological pathways for writing, reading, and spelling have fully formed. There are many <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">neuropsychologists</span>, developmental specialists, occupational therapists and teachers who are concerned that our current trend in this country of pushing “academics” in preschool and kindergarten will result in even greater increases in the number of children, particularly boys, diagnosed with attentional problems and visual processing types of learning disabilities.<br />In order for children to be able to sit still, pay attention, and remember abstract shapes, like letters and numbers, they first need to have developed their proprioceptive system......</blockquote><br /><br />Dear families, please, please read the <a href="http://lilipoh.com/articles/2007/fall2007/teaching_children.aspx">whole article</a>! Print it out and pass it on to their teachers if you wonder why you child can't sit still, makes his 3's backwards, has terrible penmanship, has trouble falling a sleep or staying asleep, seems to be so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">distractible</span>....What I mean is every parent and every teacher should read this! Really, your child is reacting in a normal way but this way continues if certain developmental needs are not adressed! They need and crave more singing and twirling, jumping and pretending. It is the way children are! But we are trying so hard to win the race to make children learn to read earlier that we are actually losing the marathon altogether!<br /><br />If you as an adult are involved in your child's Kindermusik class and you get the sense that it's aerobics for the adults then something is RIGHT!! If the children in Kindermusik Imagine That! or Young Child 1-4 say "This is kinda like gymnastics" or "Dance class" then something is VERY right. We are developing neurons and integrating the right and left hemispheres that will better prepare children for their academic tasks ahead!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-39991223927125434692008-04-20T17:18:00.007-05:002008-04-28T22:41:48.958-05:00April 26 - local celebration of TV Turnoff Week at the Dow Center, Hope College, Holland.<p align="left"><strong><span class="MAINSTORY"><span style="font-weight: normal;font-family:times new roman;" ><span style="font-size:180%;">National TV Turnoff week is April 21-27.</span></span></span></strong></p><h2>Family Fun Night - TV Turn Off Event</h2> <h3 class="subtitle">FREE! At Hope College's Dow Center</h3> <div class="articlebody">Please join the Holland Recreation Division and Holland Community Hospital's Center for Good Health in turning off your TVs and turning into life! TV Turnoff Week is April 21 - 27 and we will be celebrating it with a <strong><span style="font-size:100%;">FREE </span></strong>Family Fun Night at Hope College's Dow Center on Thursday, April 24 from 5 - 8 PM. Please call 355-1130 for more information.<br /><br />Hope you'll come and join Kindermusik of Holland as we will be there with music and movement and more of the fun ways of being together that you all know so well from your classes.<br /></div><p align="left"><strong></strong></p><p align="left" style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><span class="MAINSTORY"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When my oldest two were little we watched some TV and since the children were always with us they watched too....I distinctly remembered feeling some kind of uncomfortable twinge perhaps in my gut, but it was a physical feeling I had, during some programs' violent moments, during particular portions of the newscasts, and during some suggestive commercials. When I figured out that the twinge of discomfort happened every time I watched even mildly questionable content through the eyes of my children I could no longer sit through the viewing.I knew my non reaction was in fact a condoning of what I saw as a perfectly fine way for adults to behave...especially in front of children. I negotiated with my spouse that we move the TV into the bedroom. That was the first step. It took just a couple more years for me to get the TV moved into the garage! Now I am TV-FREE! and I can't imagine it back. I enjoy the time I now have to read and especially to have conversation with those that I love. I strongly recommend it! </span></span></strong><br /><br />Once the communications company called to ask why we had phone and internet service through them but not the cable. I said "Well probably because we don't own a TV". The silent moment was long and then he gasped and echoed: "You don't have a TV? What do you do then?" My daughter was eavesdropping and she sang out loud enough for all to hear: "WE READ! WE READ!" I told him he should try it and he cleared his throat and said "Oh, I don't think I could do that."<br /></p><p style="font-family: georgia;" align="left"><br /></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I hope you have the courage to try it...for a week...for longer...for your children....for yourself.</span><br /><strong></strong></p><p align="left"><strong><span class="MAINSTORY">TV Use Pervasive Among Tiniest Tots</span><br />Almost two-thirds of kids under 2 watch TV daily, study finds </strong> </p><p class="BYLINE">By Serena Gordon<br /> <i>HealthDay Reporter</i> </p> <!--Spanish ID:532467--> <p>(HealthDay News) -- Parents don't seem to be heeding expert pediatrician guidelines that urge a ban on TV watching for their very youngest children. </p> <p>The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that children 2 and under watch no TV at all. </p> <p>However, a new study finds that on a typical day, only 37 percent of children between zero and 2 years old watch no television, and as many as one in five youngsters under 2 even have a television placed in their bedrooms. More than half (54 percent) of these tiny tots could turn on the TV themselves............Most often, parents interviewed in the study said they put a TV set in their kid's room because it freed up other TVs in the house for parental use. </p><p>"There is a growing body of literature showing that TV in the bedroom is related to a host of negative outcomes. I would strongly urge parents not to put TV in a child's bedroom," said Vandewater. </p> <p>"There's this belief that TV is helpful to children and may soothe them, but TV activates the brain and actually makes it more difficult to sleep," explained Lucas.<br /></p><p>Read the whole article <a href="http://myhealth.hoho.org/healthyliving/familyhome/apr08tv.htm">here.</a></p><br /><p><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" >From the <a href="http://www.aap.org/pressroom/aappr-oct07mailing.htm">American Academy of Pediatrics</a><br /></span></p><p><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" >1. CONSISTENT, FREQUENT TV VIEWING CAUSES BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS</span> </p><p><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" >Consistent, heavy television viewing (more than two hours a day) throughout early childhood can cause behavior, sleep and attention problems. In the new study, "Children's Television Exposure and Behavioral and Social Outcomes at 5.5 Years: Does Timing of Exposure Matter?" researchers assessed data from the Healthy Steps for Young Children national evaluation effort pertaining to the effects of early, concurrent and sustained television exposure at age 2.5 years, and again at age 5.5 years. The effects of having a television in the child's bedroom were measured at age 5.5. Sixteen percent of parents reported<br />that their child watched television more than two hours a day at age 2.5 years only (early exposure), 15 percent reported that their children watched more than two hours of television daily at 5.5 years only (concurrent exposure), and 20 percent reported more than two hours of television viewing daily at both times (sustained exposure). Forty-one percent of children had a television in their bedroom at age 5.5. Sustained television viewing was associated with sleep, attention and aggressive behavior problems, and externalizing of problem behaviors. Concurrent television exposure was associated with fewer social skills. Having a television in the bedroom was associated with sleep problems and less emotional reactivity at age 5.5. Early exposure to television for more than two hours a day, which</span><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" > decreased over time, did not cause behavior or social problems. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no television viewing for children under age 2, and no more than two hours of daily media exposure for ages 2 and older.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://www.screentime.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=31">From the Center for Screentime Awareness: </a><br /></p><p>Screens & Young Children </p><p><a href="http://www.screentime.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=31"> SCREEN-TIME Fact Sheet…<br />Screens & Very Yong Children</a> </p><p>5. Research now indicates that for every hour of television children watch each day, their risk of developing attention-related problems later increases by ten percent. For example, if a child watches three hours of television each day, the child would be thirty percent more likely to develop attention deficit disorder.--D. Christakis, Pediatrics, April 2004</p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.unplugyourkids.com/2008/04/03/2nd-annual-tv-turnoff-week-blog-challenge/#comment-2772"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SAvK5EstP4I/AAAAAAAAAnI/1BCmF5-G3VE/s400/2008challenge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191466077337239426" border="0" /></a><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-40083062677005932822008-04-19T16:46:00.003-05:002008-05-03T19:59:59.213-05:00What's the magic word?????Please say Please! Pretty please? With a cherry on top?<br /><br />How do you get a child to use those magic words? Do you beg and plead.... "I SAID: SAY PLEASE!!!"... while hovering the wanted item just overhead enough to be interpreted as a cruel tease?<br /><br />Do you stand firm? Keeping in mind being consistent? And everyday it's the same thing! "C'mon! How many times do I have to ask you? And now you're gonna cry??" Who's more stubborn? You or the 2 year old? Are you?....Insisting on your way until the battle of the wills leaves only carnage on the field?<br /><br />I noticed my good friend locking horns with her toddler and she said "Yvette, what should I do???" The stand-off was unbearable! Her intention was only the best; we do want our children to at least know how to be polite!<br /><br />When my child says "More!" I say please for them the instant before I put it in their hands. When the neighbor mom hands them another cookie I whispered "please" with a catching of the eye right at the end of my child's "Can I have another cookie?" (that usually brought the echo of their own "Please!").<br /><br />I'm a pushover. I'm way too easy. One might think my children would grow up knowing only that things get handed to them...but I say look carefully at what your children are learning because NOTHING sneaks by them. Are they learning how to tease? Be stubborn and inflexible? How to be demanding? That big people are more powerful? That when they are the adults they will wield power over smaller people? Are they learning to be resentful? And what about the message on the conditionality of your love?<br /><br />Where did I come up with this line of thinking, this mellow, trusting philosophy? I'm not sure. Probably from a wise mom in a mom's circle or neighborhood playgroup. But understanding the deep messages has been a quest of mine since the beginnings of the wondering expressions surfacing on my children's faces.<br /><br />When babies are born we adults witness the cutting of the ubilical chord. For some reason we neglect to explain to the baby that that means we are now separate from them!! They just do not get that concept till well into their 3rd and 4th year. So, take advantage of it! If you encourage behaviors by acting FOR the child when they are still toddlers, when they still believe that you and they are one in being, then they believe they have made the action themselves. If YOU say please without a pause they are sure it came out of their mouth! As they mature and realize how that sentence works the magic word comes naturally... And if you tack on "Thank you!" they will get that too. <br /><br />Ahhhhh, bypass all the other lessons of stubbornness, power and teasing. Now you are teaching trust and unconditional love.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-50110447382941946962008-04-18T21:42:00.003-05:002008-04-18T21:47:50.806-05:00EARTH DAY<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.heartmath.org/million_hearts/"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SAlcTIy6uiI/AAAAAAAAAmo/A6pXqfo1RP0/s400/mhearts.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190781529369524770" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">Get ready for</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);font-size:130%;" >earth day this Thursday, April 22.<br />Please take a minute everyday before then and then a bunch of times on Thursday to hold appreciation for our earth in your heart. Watching this video is an easy way to conjure up appreciation...it's only 2 minutes long.<br /><br />Thank you,<br />Yvette<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-88153369785035679392008-04-17T20:31:00.009-05:002008-04-28T22:44:17.066-05:00Music the Universal LanguageListen and watch this AMAZING story of children and music from Venezuela. This program takes children who are the poorest of the poor and puts music in their hands....puts the making of music in their hands. Music will change your life if you let it. A 17 year old juvenile delinquent said this about having a clarinet in his hand: "It's completely different than when you hold a gun."<br /><embed src="http://www.cbs.com/thunder/swf/rcpHolderCbs-prod.swf" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="link=http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=4011959n&releaseURL=http://release.theplatform.com/content.select?pid=sGul7PzLjlIT2OGPU0fdzMBGwWgFuXXY&partner=newsembed&autoPlayVid=false&prevImg=http://thumbnails.cbsig.net/CBS_Production_News/679/450/60_simon_41308_480x360.jpg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="361" width="370"></embed><br /><br />What do you think would happen if we did something like this for all the preschoolers in our country? How about the children in West Michigan that are being swayed by gangs right now?(We spend more money on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">penitentiary</span> system than on higher education in our state....)<br /><br />Peace,<br />Yvette<br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Thanks <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.KMwithLori.WordPress.com">Lori</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-36431455221836877992008-04-12T11:51:00.007-05:002008-04-28T22:45:26.904-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SAD8m9EiNmI/AAAAAAAAAmg/a7lEOMP7Pl4/s1600-h/Summer_of_Music_Postcard_Large.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UP4yc4bAnC8/SAD8m9EiNmI/AAAAAAAAAmg/a7lEOMP7Pl4/s400/Summer_of_Music_Postcard_Large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5188424516889622114" border="0" /></a><br />Let's get rolling, and jumping and singing and twirling! The wide variety of <a href="http://holland.kindermusik.net/classes/Session.html?semester=2823">SUMMER CLASSES</a><br />are online now and starting to fill. You won't want to miss this summer adventure that doesn't require car trips to far states, driving to the ocean, flying to easter Europe....it's all right <a href="http://holland.kindermusik.net/">here</a> in Holland! Get the family involved and jump right in. This could be the most meaningful summer activity on your planner.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8869325031364150172.post-50583121417933070182008-04-05T23:38:00.002-05:002008-04-28T22:45:59.488-05:00Free film showing and discussion at Herrick Library<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:18;">L</span><span style="font-size:14;">AKESHORE </span><span style="font-size:18;">W</span><span style="font-size:14;">OMEN </span><span style="font-size:18;">F</span><span style="font-size:14;">OR </span><span style="font-size:18;">P</span><span style="font-size:14;">EACE<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:14;">(www.ls-women-for-peace.blogspot.com)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:14;">Presents<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-size:18;color:red;" >Pathways to Simpler Living<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-size:18;color:red;" >A short film about the Life Cycle <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 153);">Story of Stuff</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-size:18;color:red;" >Discussion to follow.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-size:18;color:red;" >Explore the ways stuff affects the quality of life.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-size:18;color:red;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><st2:sn><span style="font-size:14;">HERRICK</span></st2:sn><span style="font-size:14;"> DISTRICK LIBRARY AUDITORIUM<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><st1:date year="2008" day="8" month="4"><span style="font-size:14;">Tuesday April 8, 2008</span></st1:date><span style="font-size:14;"><span style=""> </span></span><st1:time minute="0" hour="19"><span style="font-size:14;">7:00 PM</span></st1:time><span style="font-size:14;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:18;">FREE<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0