Here's a "foundation of learning" (which we educators call "FOL") that I shared this week with families:

Did you know that stimulation of the calf muscle aids in language development? Put you child on the floor in front of you so that you can bicycle her legs. Then flex their feet and have your child just push against your hands as hard as she can. I think they just have fun trying to be as strong as you! But the work is good for their brains as well. It actually aids in the language development of children. Why? Well in my next life I plan to be a cellist and a neuroscientist so I may be better able to explain why but for now I know that I found this information in Carla Hannaford's book Smart Moves, Why Learning Is Not All In Your Head. I can't tell you which page because I've lent out my copy and :-( don't know where it is......



This kind of stimulation of the whole body is why children need to be jumping, running, climbing, twirling, singing and dancing and playing in free, joyful situations. And this is why Kindermusik is such a good investment...your dividends increase exponentially.

Glad you found us.
Yvette

Busy, Busy, Busy!

How come when it gets cold, things get more and more hectic? Is it to get us moving to stay warm? Well, it's all good hectic-ness anyway!

Hope you've marked your calendars: No classes next Wednesday afternoon or Thursday! Darcy and I are headed for the Kindermusik Convention!!! Just imagine the energy of hundreds and hundreds of Kindermusik teachers in one building...singing and dancing and sharing all day and practically all night!!!

My calendar is also filling up with extra music class events for speaking or making music in area preschools, young five programs, homeschool groups, library music and movement storytime, and mom and tot church group events etc. I love coming out and sharing with the adults information on child development, parenting skills, benefits of music and movement for their children and sharing with the children the joy of musical fun.

Other items on my calendar include leading La Leche League meetings, farmers market days, church choir, concerts, flute students and occaisional flute playing gigs! Then there's homeschooling schedules of Anne and Claire...... No two days are routine!

Wonder what my calendar looks like? Well it's an amazing calendar called Weekdate, invented by my sister in law, Kay Odell. It works for me! Her 2008 designs just came out and I'm trying do decide on the cover.



It's a good kind of busy.
Yvette

Parents often ask.....

Too young to play an instrument? By Jane Palmer

What are good starter instruments? For babies: rattles (maracas), tambourine, bongo drums. For toddlers and preschoolers: rhythm sticks, sandpaper blocks, maracas, drums, finger cymbals, triangles, cymbals, gongs, jingle bells, xylophone-type instruments with removable bars and chorded zither. Toy instruments won't hold a youngster's interest for long. Age 3 and older: new or gently used piano, which should be tuned once or twice a year. Second best is a digital electronic keyboard with touch-sensitive, weighted keys. Young violin players: smaller violins, scaled to a child's hands and body.

How young can children typically start music lessons? For traditional piano lessons, at age 7. For band and orchestra instruments, in fourth or fifth grade, when children are big enough to manage the size of the instruments and have more lung capacity.

How can you get preschoolers interested? Listen to all styles of recorded music from birth. Sing together and play singing games. Participate in Kindermusik or other music experience programs for babies through age 7 or 9. Find local programs online at http://www.kindermusik.com.%20look/ for preschool programs that devote at least 10 percent of their time to music.

How much are lessons? From $15 to $40 for a 30- or 60-minute session.

How do you obtain instruments? Introductory instruments such as sandpaper blocks may be available at toy or school supply stores. Most instruments require a trip to a music store. Ask for a student instrument. Turn down artist instruments, which are higher priced. Buy a used instrument to further cut costs, and ask about service and repairs after the sale. You may find a bargain in classified advertisements or at a pawn shop, garage sale or thrift store. Make sure everything works. Music stores often have a rent-to-own program. If you keep the instrument longer than atrial period, you own it and your monthly payments apply to the purchase. On the rental agreement, take note of the interest rate and total cost. It may be cheaper to obtain your own loan.

Sources: Joan Reist, past president of the Music Teachers National Association and retired associate professor of piano pedagogy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Lance Nielsen, president of the Nebraska Music Educators Association and director of bands at Lincoln East High School. National standards published by the National Association for Music Education at http://www.menc.org/.

Thanks Molly!

Glissandos galore!

Slide whistles can make glissando's. So can clarinets, trombones and our voices. And so can string instruments like the violin! This is Jackie playing a "gliss" with Ms. Yvette.

Who loves their dulcimer?

WE DO!!!!!!!!!

And we are loving strumming and singing....which is way more complicated than you might think. I remember the first time I tried to strum a steady beat on the guitar while singing in rhythm! It's like rubbing your tummy and patting your head at the same time!

We are also loving dancing to Old Lady No Nose and making music with household items like spoons and paper bags and washboards! Here's a picture of David Holt who sings a couple of the songs on the Young Child 3 CD. He's the one with the washboard.


Now swing your partner!
Yvette
(see David Holt's website for more fun music from the Appalachian mountains.)

To the MOMs

Dear Moms,
Are you aware that MOM is WOW upside down? That is a given. Forwards and backwards. No other judgment necessary!

A few years ago I began a conscious journey of self improvement and have as a mantra to "love others as myself". Interestingly I noticed I didn't love myself very much and surely not unconditionally! During times when I loved myself least I was less able to love others at all.
How could I love others, especially my own family, if I could not love myself.

Baby steps. Baby steps. Two steps forward and one back.

Here are two ideas that helped me with the one step forward.

Accept compliments.

Wouldn't you know it? I have still lots of work to do here! Today after playing flute in church I totally negated a freely given compliment! I will choose next time to say: "Thank you" and allow it to soak in.

Second: Stop "should-ing all over myself".

I think most moms are in the habit of using this technique. "I should have returned that call yesterday". "I should have gotten up earlier." "I should post more often on my blog." "I should have practiced that music."Should-a should-a, should-a....., Goodness, I can come up with a bunch of them. There's a lot of judgmental energy being used up in feeling angry or frustrated at myself for what should have been! How is that going to help anything? The word "should" matters too in saying what we might do in the future. "I should run to the store". "I should drop a card in the mail." "I should clean up as I go." I choose to replace "should-a" with "I could" and then decide whether or not I will. I can always change my mind but I don't need the nagging sound of that voice saying "You should have.......".

If you are an educator and you are reading this you might want to know more. I've been reading Becky Bailey's work book for teachers "Conscious Discipline". But if you are a parent reading this then you could choose to run out and get this book because it can help you transform your parenting.

Thanks for listening. Because you know I say this for my own sake.
Yvette

My newest favorite quote:

If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.

by Antoine de St. Exupery

Imagine a group of people driven by a yearning for the vast and endless sea! Imagine holding them back from building this boat! The passion and energy for the project are unquestionably abundant.

Last week I lamented to friends: Help! How can I help Anne WANT to practice her cello? Here is my answer. The SEA! The SEA! LOVE and yearning for the sea of beautiful cello music.

Teaching one to yearn is where we could get hung up. I don't really know if that can be done! So what do we do?

Model passion. Look for others who live by their passion. Surround yourselves with their modeling. Talk about it passionately. Love the journey.

Antoine de St.Exupery also said: All grown-ups were once children--although few of them remember it.

:-)
Yvette