Any Shutterbug Parents Out There?
Just For Fun

Of course, every parent takes a ton of pictures of their children. Or maybe you're like me and your other children are old enough to take some pretty good pics while you're actually doing all the housework (or taking a much appreciated bath/nap). I am also blessed enough to have a wonderful sister who takes a blue-million shots of all of them whenever she's around. Parenting magazine is sponsoring their 17th annual photo contest from now through October 30, 2006. Winning pics receive a free digital camera and their cuties' picture in a summer 2007 issue. Digital pics can be submitted by going to www.parenting.com/photocontest. Please note that all digital pics must taken on high or super-high quality setting and submitted in jpeg format with a file size no smaller than 2 MB and no larger than 10 MB.
Now when am I ever going to get around to scrapbooking 11 years worth of pictures? :) If only THAT were the prize!

What People Are Saying...
My 1.5 year old son and I attended Ms. Tammy's program. Jackson learned a lot and I was active in teaching my son. I don't know who learned more, Jackson or me. Thank you, Ms. Tammy, for teaching us about music, ourselves, and each other.
James Hale,
as written for Kindermusik testimonials (www.kindermusik.com), 1/30/95

My Muse

"You must get your living by loving."
-Henry David Thoreau

Music and Breakfast, The Teachable Moments
Foundations of Learning

There is a commercial out right now for a popular children's cereal that "talks" to you. Mom and child are bent over the bowl, intent on the message for the morning. The voiceover says something about teaching your child to listen. I must confess, though I heard the commercial, I didn't "hear" it well enough to remember it 2 hours later, after my children have all been sent to bed. And breakfast is too far away to go and get it straight from the cereal bowl's mouth. :) The point of the spot, though, was that listening is something that we have to teach our children to do. Different from hearing, listening takes a lot more concentration.
"Active listening is a process that goes beyond the physical act of hearing. It is an intellectual and emotional process that integrates a full range of inputs in a search for the meaning of and an understanding of a sender's message. It involves listening 'between the lines' to hear what is not said as well as what is said." Early Childhood Education, Blending Theory, Blending Practice by Lawrence J. Johnson, M.J. LaMontagne, Peggy M. Elgas, Anne M. Bauer
Listening is even hard for Mommies and Daddies to do sometimes. What did your 4 year old tell you he ate with the dog while you were busy trying to feed the baby? We live in a world where tuning things out is sometimes the only way to make it through our days... was the elevator music on or was the elderly gentleman next to you whistling? And sometimes we use music to tame the beasties before naptime or bedtime. Heck, I can remember leaving the tv on while going to sleep in my college dorm where there were a lot of sounds you didn't necessarily want to hear.
In our music classes, children as young as 18 monthes are asked to listen... "what do you hear? can you hear the train whistle? can you hear the conductor yelling 'All aboard!" And actually cupping their tiny little hands around their ears or rubbing them so they can hear better. But we don't stop there! Pull the whistle chain... shout All Aboard! We really get into our listening.
Which is the key to the whole thing, isn't it? The next time you and your child are listening to something - music, a tv show, the rain storming down on the roof or that train that's barreling by- get into it! Put a little action and a little imagination into it. Your child will get a lot more out of the next storytime at the library, guaranteed! :)

I just need to sing the praises of Kindermusik!
Testimonials

I found online a skills checklist that children should know by the end of different ages. I pulled up Age 3 to see what to work on with Cheney. It was broke down into curriculums and the skills to work on. I was checking everything right down the line that we need to work on with Cheney. I was getting worried as there was barely anything on the list that she knew....until we came to the Music Curriculum. Many thanks to Kindermusik, under your instruction, the only thing I circled to work on was understanding that reading music tells us what/how to sing and what/how to play musical instruments. I don't think she knows that. But she met all the age 2 music requirements and all age 3 (loud/soft, fast/slow, sings simple fun songs, keep simple rhythm by either clapping hands or playing drum) with the exception of what I just listed about understanding reading music.
from Sandy, Kapital Musik parent

Have A Ball!
Just For Fun

Balls are a wonderful play thing for little ones! I know if they had had those really huge ones out when I was a kid, the size alone would have fascinated me for hours... even when I was a little older. The big ones would be good for developing those tummy and neck muscles and a sense of balance just by laying your child on his belly on top. Keep hold of him for support and wobble the ball back and forth just a little. Moira still likes that! Of course, if your little one is a little older you may have many different balls around your house. Get them all out and talk about different attributes of the balls - size, color... some even have a texture or a smell. A great cause and effect would be to roll a ball into another one to bump it and push it a little ways. Or, since it's the summer, dry out the kiddy wading pull for a change and put all of your balls in it and your little one in the middle - lots of tactile fun there! And don't forget to stock up on beach balls while they're widely available - a beach ball as a Christmas present could be a great story starter or reminder of all of this season's fun. If you have any great ball play ideas, feel free to comment. I'm always looking for something different to do with the little toys we already have around the house!