Over the past 8 years that I have been the owner of this program, and the 10 years that I have taught Kindermusik, I have experienced many proud moments. Seeing a shy toddler go up to get his own rhythm sticks for the first time, helping an active preschooler find her singing voice, noticing a boisterous Kindergartner sitting still during listening time, starting a new private lesson program, experiencing the studio's first recital, and many more--too many to list in one sitting.
But this month will bring me my proudest moment yet, when I hang up my "business owner" hat and put on my "Executive Director" hat instead. This studio will be making the switch to being a non-profit organization and 501(c)(3) candidate, and I could not be more excited! I will gladly forfeit my rights as owner and instead relish the role as overseer of an organization that will ruthlessly seek to accomplish its goals in the greater Grand Rapids community: 1) to promote healthy growth and development in children and youth, 2) to facilitate strong, positive interpersonal relationships in families, and 3) to develop an appreciation of the fine arts (music, movement, drama, visuals) in people of all ages.
Our wonderful Board of Directors, made up entirely of volunteers, has been meeting since April 2010 under the name of Family Harmony, dreaming, evaluating, visioning and planning together. I owe them a debt of gratitude for their dedication to and vision for what this organization will grow into. One of our immediate goals is to move into a large space of our own, so that we can expand the scope of our programs. Our plans are really exciting and I cannot wait to share them with you all!
501(c)(3) status for our new organization is currently pending at the IRS. This status would classify us as tax-exempt, as well as allow donors to our program to receive a tax deduction. Both of these things will help us further our mission and accomplish our goals. Please join us in crossing our fingers that we stated our case well and that they will see the vision that we see, so that we will be able to join the ranks of charitable organizations working toward a better community in the greater Grand Rapids area. And may I be so bold as to ask you to join us in supporting our mission and our goals as we venture into this new chapter of life together! Let's put music in every family and harmony in every home! To Family Harmony!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Friday, February 6, 2009
Llama Llama Red Pajama
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I'm sure many of you have already discovered the little gem that is Llama Llama Red Pajama (by Anna Dewdney), but for those who haven't, you'll want to be sure to check it out on your next trip to the library.
I got this book out tonight for the first time to help pass the time while my son and I were waiting for dinner to finish cooking. That was at about 6:15 PM. By the time I tucked him into bed at 8:00 PM, we had read the book six more times. Yep, in less than two hours, we read the entire book no less than seven times!
But you know what? I didn't mind a bit. This is one of those few-and-far-between books that is just as enjoyable for the parent as it is for the child. It was immensely heartwarming to see how Ronan took to both the story and the vivid illustrations. After reading it twice sitting side by side, he decided it would be better to crawl in my lap for the next few rounds. He commented on many of the illustrations, speculating on what the baby llama or mama llama might be feeling. Twice he very purposefully examined a particular page and then turned around, pointed to me, and said, "Ronan's mama!" I think he really was able to take the story to heart and realize, on some level, that even though the story was about llamas, it most definitely applied to his life, as well.
This book is funny, heartwarming, poignant, snuggle-inducing, well-written, and well-illustrated. Kudos to the author who clearly understands not only children, but that beautiful relationship between a mama and her little "llama". I can't wait to check out the other titles in the series.
Story: A+
Writing Style: A+
Writing Style: A+
Illustrations: A+
Ease of Read: A+
Appropriate for Children?: Absolutely!
Ease of Read: A+
Appropriate for Children?: Absolutely!
Enjoyable for Adults?: Yes!
Overall Grade: A+
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Toys, Toys, Everywhere
A child's toys just seem to multiply on their own, don't they?! In our family, we have made a conscious decision over the past few years to request alternate gifts from family members here and there, just to keep the number of toys in our house to a manageable quantity. And with our family of three being on a fairly limited budget, it allows us to give our son some experiences he couldn't otherwise have.
I have noticed this trend in the past couple of years with our Kindermusik program, as well. More and more grandparents are giving the gift of Kindermusik to their grandchildren for Christmas or birthdays. Instead of handing over just another toy to be added into the already-cluttered toy room, grandparents know that Kindermusik is a gift that will be enjoyed for a very long time. . .and it will make a positive impact on that child's development in so many ways! (And as a bonus, they can enjoy the fun right along with their grandchild!) I would estimate that at least 25% of our program's students are able to come to class because their grandparent gave it as a gift--wow! You may want to consider asking for a Kindermusik gift certificate this year, yourself.
Now back to those toys that keep multiplying. . .let me tell you what has worked for us!
Several months ago I discovered a system that has really helped our family keep the clutter down while keeping the toys fresh and interesting to our 3 year old. I got four large Sterilite storage tubs and grouped all of the toys into categories, such as cars & trucks, puppets/action figures, puzzles/games, Little People accessories, large play items, etc. (My husband took my son out for the afternoon so I could do this without "help"!) Then I divied the toys up into the four tubs, making sure to put two or three puzzles and at least one bigger truck into each tub. I chose one or two large toys (like a see-saw motorcycle, a Duplo wagon, etc.) to pair with each tub, as well. (Obviously those items wouldn't fit inside.) I kept certain things together in the same tub, such as his train set, his puppet show supplies, his Little People buildings, etc., as made sense. When I finished, I numbered each tub 1-4 and kept tub #1 out. The other 3 tubs went into storage downstairs.
After a week, he started losing interest in those toys, so we put them all back into tub #1 and got tub #2 out. Ronan played with the "new" toys enthusiastically for another week. Then out came tub #3. You get the idea. We have continued to do this toy rotation for about 3 months now, and he still is excited to see his "new" old toys each time they come out. I think having less of them to wade through all at once is also helpful to him--it's much less overwhelming.
This system is also helping us purge toys from the collection regularly (since there are always more coming in, it seems!). As we pack up a tub's contents at the end of the week, we can easily tell which toys were at the bottom of the pecking order. If he's not interested in playing with something anymore, it gets a free ride into the yard sale box!
So what tips would YOU offer for toy management?
I have noticed this trend in the past couple of years with our Kindermusik program, as well. More and more grandparents are giving the gift of Kindermusik to their grandchildren for Christmas or birthdays. Instead of handing over just another toy to be added into the already-cluttered toy room, grandparents know that Kindermusik is a gift that will be enjoyed for a very long time. . .and it will make a positive impact on that child's development in so many ways! (And as a bonus, they can enjoy the fun right along with their grandchild!) I would estimate that at least 25% of our program's students are able to come to class because their grandparent gave it as a gift--wow! You may want to consider asking for a Kindermusik gift certificate this year, yourself.
Now back to those toys that keep multiplying. . .let me tell you what has worked for us!
Several months ago I discovered a system that has really helped our family keep the clutter down while keeping the toys fresh and interesting to our 3 year old. I got four large Sterilite storage tubs and grouped all of the toys into categories, such as cars & trucks, puppets/action figures, puzzles/games, Little People accessories, large play items, etc. (My husband took my son out for the afternoon so I could do this without "help"!) Then I divied the toys up into the four tubs, making sure to put two or three puzzles and at least one bigger truck into each tub. I chose one or two large toys (like a see-saw motorcycle, a Duplo wagon, etc.) to pair with each tub, as well. (Obviously those items wouldn't fit inside.) I kept certain things together in the same tub, such as his train set, his puppet show supplies, his Little People buildings, etc., as made sense. When I finished, I numbered each tub 1-4 and kept tub #1 out. The other 3 tubs went into storage downstairs.
After a week, he started losing interest in those toys, so we put them all back into tub #1 and got tub #2 out. Ronan played with the "new" toys enthusiastically for another week. Then out came tub #3. You get the idea. We have continued to do this toy rotation for about 3 months now, and he still is excited to see his "new" old toys each time they come out. I think having less of them to wade through all at once is also helpful to him--it's much less overwhelming.
This system is also helping us purge toys from the collection regularly (since there are always more coming in, it seems!). As we pack up a tub's contents at the end of the week, we can easily tell which toys were at the bottom of the pecking order. If he's not interested in playing with something anymore, it gets a free ride into the yard sale box!
So what tips would YOU offer for toy management?
Sunday, November 9, 2008
And the Beat Goes On
Learning how to keep a steady beat is, I believe, the most basic element of musicianship. (It is also, for many people, an elusive skill!) In Kindermusik, a large number of our activities help to solidify this skill, whether it is the primary focus or a secondary benefit.
In Village classes, we help the babies internalize what a steady beat feels like by patting their legs, clapping their hands, helping them shake bells, or dancing purposefully with them. I love doing the chant, "DID-dle diddle DUM-pling, MY son JOHN..." while we exercise the babies' limbs or bounce them on each beat. And doing this with a cross-lateral movement (touching hand and opposite foot together) adds another level of benefits, as it helps train the two sides of the brain to work together.
Once little ones have internalized the steady beat, they are ready to begin to match an external sound source in Our Time. Toddlers hear the music on the CD player or the teacher's singing voice and move their legs and arms slowly when the music is slow and quickly when the music is fast. While most of them won't be able to tap a true steady beat along with the music at this age, they can probably identify whether the beats are fast or slow and then play their instrument or dance accordingly. We have a lot of fun using the sandblocks to swish and tap along to the song "Milk & Cookies", which has a nice strong beat!
Preschoolers in Imagine That! learn to listen intently so they can tap their sticks in time to the music. By this time, many of them have developed their sense of rhythm to the point where they can accurately match an external sound source. Preschoolers may not have the patience to clap the steady beat throughout an entire song on the radio, but they will probably delight in clapping or tapping during the chorus. I love working on this skill during our rain activities! Pit-ter pat-ter pit-ter pat-ter, I can hear the rain...
In Kindermusik for the Young Child, all of this development really begins to show! Not only can most children at this age match a steady beat, but they are beginning to produce that steady beat all on their own! We work on this from the first day of semester 1 when we sing, "I like to play the sticks." (tap tap tap tap) I like to play the sticks." (tap tap tap tap) Adding dynamics (how loudly or quietly we play) makes things even more fun--and challenging!
So why is it important to be able to keep a steady beat? Well, if you want your child to play an instrument or sing in a choir when he/she gets older, this skill is obviously crucial to their success. But what about those who don't think music lessons will be in the plan? The ability to keep a steady beat is important in learning to cut with scissors, dribble a basketball, pedal a bike, and even type well on a keyboard!
How will YOU help your child feel the beat this week?
In Village classes, we help the babies internalize what a steady beat feels like by patting their legs, clapping their hands, helping them shake bells, or dancing purposefully with them. I love doing the chant, "DID-dle diddle DUM-pling, MY son JOHN..." while we exercise the babies' limbs or bounce them on each beat. And doing this with a cross-lateral movement (touching hand and opposite foot together) adds another level of benefits, as it helps train the two sides of the brain to work together.
Once little ones have internalized the steady beat, they are ready to begin to match an external sound source in Our Time. Toddlers hear the music on the CD player or the teacher's singing voice and move their legs and arms slowly when the music is slow and quickly when the music is fast. While most of them won't be able to tap a true steady beat along with the music at this age, they can probably identify whether the beats are fast or slow and then play their instrument or dance accordingly. We have a lot of fun using the sandblocks to swish and tap along to the song "Milk & Cookies", which has a nice strong beat!
Preschoolers in Imagine That! learn to listen intently so they can tap their sticks in time to the music. By this time, many of them have developed their sense of rhythm to the point where they can accurately match an external sound source. Preschoolers may not have the patience to clap the steady beat throughout an entire song on the radio, but they will probably delight in clapping or tapping during the chorus. I love working on this skill during our rain activities! Pit-ter pat-ter pit-ter pat-ter, I can hear the rain...
In Kindermusik for the Young Child, all of this development really begins to show! Not only can most children at this age match a steady beat, but they are beginning to produce that steady beat all on their own! We work on this from the first day of semester 1 when we sing, "I like to play the sticks." (tap tap tap tap) I like to play the sticks." (tap tap tap tap) Adding dynamics (how loudly or quietly we play) makes things even more fun--and challenging!
So why is it important to be able to keep a steady beat? Well, if you want your child to play an instrument or sing in a choir when he/she gets older, this skill is obviously crucial to their success. But what about those who don't think music lessons will be in the plan? The ability to keep a steady beat is important in learning to cut with scissors, dribble a basketball, pedal a bike, and even type well on a keyboard!
How will YOU help your child feel the beat this week?
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Back in Full Swing!
Ahhhh. . .classes started again last week, and it feels great to be back into my "regular" schedule! Of course I love summer and all that goes with it, but there is just something comforting about having a predictable schedule each week.
And it's so FUN to see my Kindermusik friends after being away from most of them over the past few months! Everybody seems to be a foot taller, and--more importantly--I am seeing how so many have matured in both small and big ways over the summer!
How exciting it was to see Ryan stride into class, confident as can be! Having graduated out of Our Time at the end of the semester last year, this was his first time attending class without his mom. When he first started Our Time as a little guy, he was often shy and reserved. Now not only was he completely at ease, he even chattered excitedly throughout our classtime!
And what a change in Walker! Last year it was so hard for him to put the bells or sticks away at the end of an activity, but this year he does it with no problem at all. Madison is talking a blue streak now. Xavier has developed a thoughtful, more purposeful way of listening. And Trevor, who has tended to be the quiet one in the group, just lit up as he told our class about his summer. But I think my proudest moment of this past week was seeing Bridget go into her first big-kid class, confident and self-assured.
I could probably go on and on about the changes I saw in all of our returning students. . .and I'm sure I will--in future posts! I can't wait to see what exciting changes are just around the corner for not only our returning students, but also our brand-new ones!
Thank you, Kindermusik parents, for letting me have the best job in the world! :-)
And it's so FUN to see my Kindermusik friends after being away from most of them over the past few months! Everybody seems to be a foot taller, and--more importantly--I am seeing how so many have matured in both small and big ways over the summer!
How exciting it was to see Ryan stride into class, confident as can be! Having graduated out of Our Time at the end of the semester last year, this was his first time attending class without his mom. When he first started Our Time as a little guy, he was often shy and reserved. Now not only was he completely at ease, he even chattered excitedly throughout our classtime!
And what a change in Walker! Last year it was so hard for him to put the bells or sticks away at the end of an activity, but this year he does it with no problem at all. Madison is talking a blue streak now. Xavier has developed a thoughtful, more purposeful way of listening. And Trevor, who has tended to be the quiet one in the group, just lit up as he told our class about his summer. But I think my proudest moment of this past week was seeing Bridget go into her first big-kid class, confident and self-assured.
I could probably go on and on about the changes I saw in all of our returning students. . .and I'm sure I will--in future posts! I can't wait to see what exciting changes are just around the corner for not only our returning students, but also our brand-new ones!
Thank you, Kindermusik parents, for letting me have the best job in the world! :-)
Monday, August 4, 2008
Get Out the Vote!
Tomorrow is another election day. I would guess that I'm in the minority when I say that I actually look forward to each election day! However, I think I have a pretty good reason.
For about two years now I have worked as an election inspector at a precinct fairly close to my home. Although it is a LONG workday (6:00 AM to about 8:45 PM), I find it to be a nice little one-day vacation from my everyday life. I bring in my crossword puzzle books and Games magazines, which every other day of the year get rather neglected. In my former life I was a retail manager, so getting the opportunity to do some face-to-face customer service a few times a year is also very fun for me. But there is yet a bigger reason that I love election days.
I love them because I get to catch a glimpse of our next generation of voters! It is absolutely wonderful to see the number of parents who bring their children and teenagers with them to the polls. I was a history minor in college, with a focus on women's history, so I have a deep appreciation for what millions of people had to go through in order to gain the right to vote. It is easy for so many of us to just take that right for granted. Bringing children to the polls, as my parents did with me, helps them learn that this is something we do as active citizens of our community and of our world. Not only do we have the right to vote, we have been blessed with the privilege of voting, from those who went before us.
It's no surprise to me that many of the parents who bring their children into the precinct I work at are also Kindermusik parents, despite the fact that our precinct is located way over on the west side of Grand Rapids. Kindermusik parents tend to realize how important early-childhood development and learning are, so it makes sense that they would also place value on helping their children develop into contributing members of society.
So consider tomorrow, and November 4, and other future election days "Bring Your Children to Vote Day"! Talk with them about why you are there and what you will do while you are there. Show them the different facets of the polling place: the sign-in table, the actual ballot, the voting booth, the tabulator, etc. Explain to them (in the car) why you voted for whom and for what. Talk about what is at stake for each race or proposition.
And be sure to stop by the sticker table to get them an "I Voted" sticker! I know I will have several ready for my "regulars" tomorrow. See you at the polls!
For about two years now I have worked as an election inspector at a precinct fairly close to my home. Although it is a LONG workday (6:00 AM to about 8:45 PM), I find it to be a nice little one-day vacation from my everyday life. I bring in my crossword puzzle books and Games magazines, which every other day of the year get rather neglected. In my former life I was a retail manager, so getting the opportunity to do some face-to-face customer service a few times a year is also very fun for me. But there is yet a bigger reason that I love election days.
I love them because I get to catch a glimpse of our next generation of voters! It is absolutely wonderful to see the number of parents who bring their children and teenagers with them to the polls. I was a history minor in college, with a focus on women's history, so I have a deep appreciation for what millions of people had to go through in order to gain the right to vote. It is easy for so many of us to just take that right for granted. Bringing children to the polls, as my parents did with me, helps them learn that this is something we do as active citizens of our community and of our world. Not only do we have the right to vote, we have been blessed with the privilege of voting, from those who went before us.
It's no surprise to me that many of the parents who bring their children into the precinct I work at are also Kindermusik parents, despite the fact that our precinct is located way over on the west side of Grand Rapids. Kindermusik parents tend to realize how important early-childhood development and learning are, so it makes sense that they would also place value on helping their children develop into contributing members of society.
So consider tomorrow, and November 4, and other future election days "Bring Your Children to Vote Day"! Talk with them about why you are there and what you will do while you are there. Show them the different facets of the polling place: the sign-in table, the actual ballot, the voting booth, the tabulator, etc. Explain to them (in the car) why you voted for whom and for what. Talk about what is at stake for each race or proposition.
And be sure to stop by the sticker table to get them an "I Voted" sticker! I know I will have several ready for my "regulars" tomorrow. See you at the polls!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Birthday Boy
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Wow. Today my little guy turned 3 years old. It's hard to remember what life was like before him, and at the same time I can't believe he's already so old! I recall so vividly the events of that day three years ago, the day we met this child that we waited for so long. Pacing expectantly by the phone for days. . .and then finally receiving the call that he had been born. Our hearts racing during the long drive to the hospital. Our nerves and emotions as we talked with his birth-family. And, most of all, I remember that incredible moment when we got to go in to meet him for the first time. I literally asked the nurse, "Him? This one is ours?!" because he was so gorgeous I could hardly believe it. I had drilled it into my husband that the baby would probably look blotchy and cone-headed, and yet here he was with beautiful, even skin, a perfectly round head, and the most darling features I had ever seen on a newborn. It was nothing short of love at first sight.
I can't help but reminisce a bit on this anniversary of his birth, but I also find myself looking ahead at what his future might bring. He is only a little over two years from starting kindergarten--which really blows my mind--and I have a feeling that life will really start to play in fast-forward when he starts school. So today I am reminding myself that while it is perfectly fine to recall where he's been, and also to look ahead to where he will soon be, I need to remember to take the time to enjoy right now with him. He will be 3 years, 1 day old for tomorrow only, so I need to make the most of that special day, as well as each and every day after that.
Happy birthday, Ronan! It's been an amazing three years.
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