Rookie- the Dancin' Canine

You all know how much I love dogs-- this one will have you and your children smilin'and dancin'! Enjoy :)

Expert secrets to raising "great kids"

Here's an excerpt from an exclusive interview by USA Weekend on the topic of music and its role in "raising great kids" (September 23, 2007). Kindermusik families who play and make music with their children in class and at home know the benefits of early music education but it's simply wonderful and re-affirming to hear it again and again, and again! Big thanks to Kindermusik educator Carol in Maryland for sharing.

"USA WEEKEND: Dr. Greenspan, what role can music play in raising "great" kids?

Greenspan: Great kids have a number of qualities, including empathy, creativity, emotional range, and a sense of morality and caring about others. It begins with that engagement, that rhythm between the baby and the caregiver -- often the mommy -- in the first year of life. Then it blossoms in the second and third years with more complex social interactions. When language comes in, they can give voice to what it means to be happy or sad. So a song like Laurie's helps them understand what a happy feeling or a sad feeling is. You'll see it in their doll play or action-figure play. This helps them with empathy and creativity. If they're going to be great novelists or write songs or perform, they have got to understand the feelings of others.

Berkner: It's so great to hear you say it that way. When I wrote "The Story of My Feelings," I was having a fight with a friend and wrote it to help me get in touch with my feelings. So actually, it was a completely self-centered act! I wrote the song a long time ago about how I feel better after I express myself, which is true. But now, I might have written it a little differently, because it also feels good to be expressing myself, not just afterward. But in hindsight, I do see that, "Yeah, the song can really help kids connect with their feelings."

USA WEEKEND: Both of you make the case for learning through music, dance and creative play. Why?

Greenspan: When you move, you experience more fully. The more coordinated you become, the more you're able to enjoy movement. It enforces the creativity of using your body, whether through dance or music. But now there's a movement toward more impersonal forms of communication, from rote learning in education to parents being told to use flashcards rather than creative play with their kids to the overuse of text messages or hours of isolated self-absorption rather than being with real people.

Berkner: I think kids who are sitting at a computer are missing the physical component that they get through music and dancing. When they're watching television, there's at least a possibility they'll get up and dance and let feelings come out. Think about "jumping for joy" -- it's the way we talk about our feelings sometimes. All of that seems to be so connected to being able to express ourselves."

Stanley Greenspan is a clinical professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at George Washington University Medical Center who is also an author of a new book Great Kids: Helping Your Baby and Child Develop the 10 Essential Qualities for a Healthy, Happy Life.

Laurie Berkner is a popular musician and song writer also known as "the pixie Pied Piper of kid rock" who recently authored a children's book & accompanying CD: The Story of My Feelings.

Here's the full interview! Enjoy: Expert secrets to raising "great kids."

Books, Books, Books!

Here is a list of parenting books I mentioned in class. A common theme among them seems to be:

*Celebrate and love your child for who they are!
*Interaction between parent/caregiver-child is key to your child's brain development.
*Loving and fun rituals help to develop your child's positive emotional health.

Enjoy!

I Love You Rituals by Becky A. Bailey, Ph.D. "The bond between parent and child is the child's primary source of emotional health. It gives your child the capacity to have satisfying relationships the rest of his or her life." p.14

The Hidden Gifts of the Introverted Child by Marti Olsen Laney, Psy.D. "I think of introverts as energy conservers, like rechargeable batteries that need "down time" to restore their reserves. Extroverts are energy spenders. Their motto is "Go, go, go." Both introverts and extroverted children need to balance their natural tendencies." P. 6.

Nurture the Nature by Michael Gurian. "Your child's core nature is thrilling to observe and appreciate as it unfolds before your eyes. It's wonderful to feel confident as a parent, to tailor parenting techniques to fit the unique needs of your child's nature." P. 12

The Emotional Life of a Toddler by Alicia F. Lieberman, Ph.D. "The most important emotional accomplishment of the toddler years is reconciling the urge to become competent and self-reliant with the longing for parental love and protection." P. 3

Inside the Brain by Ronald Kotulak "It is during this period, and especially the first three years, that the foundations for thinking, language, vision, attitudes, aptitudes and other characteristics are laid down. Then the windows close, and much of the fundamental architecture of the brain is completed." P.7


Magic Trees of the Mind by Marian Diamon, Ph.D. and Janet Hopson. "But the parents of babies and toddlers must provide certain kinds of experiences, particularly in the realms of emotional support and language, to foster the child's fullest development at this stage." P. 103

Strong Fathers, Strong Daughter by Meg Meeker This book was recommended by Kelly in our Kindermusik Village class this week. I will definitely check it out!

Care to share any of your favorites with us on the blog or in class next week?

Music and "E"motions

Recently, one of my Kindermusik Our Time parents sent this video to me (thanks, Marcelle!). As I watched, I was reminded of a quote from a book I'm currently reading called, "The Singing Neanderthals-- the Origins of Music, Language, Mind and Body." In it, Steven Mithen reminds us that "if music is about anything, it is about expressing and inducing emotions." Boy, talk about the range of emotions both the audience and the judges experience before, during and after they hear Paul Potts sing! Enjoy the video-- it will make your day and put a smile on your face!

IKEA Swivel Chairs

So I was in IKEA the other day and happened to spot several children playing peek-a-boo inside these colorful and inviting "Swivel Chairs." Wouldn't they be a lot of fun for the Kindermusik Our Time or Imagine That!-aged child?

Here's a description of the many fun uses for the "Swivel Chairs!"
* With the hood pulled down the chair is a secret hiding place for a child.
* The fabric lets light in so it is never completely dark under the hood.
* Spinning helps the brain sort sensory impressions.
* Can be used with a cushion or pad for added comfort.

IKEA

Kindermusik International: A Message About Toy Safety

Recent news reports have highlighted the recall of some toys found to be unsafe. These reports have understandably raised concerns from parents. I want to be sure you know that Kindermusik shares this concern.

For years Kindermusik has gone to great lengths to assure the safety of our products. That is why parents have come to trust the Kindermusik brand. Kindermusik products are engineered to be educational, entertaining and safe before they enter into production. Production samples of each product are then rigorously tested by an independent testing lab to ensure that our toys meet the highest safety standards.

All Kindermusik products have comfortably passed international safety standards in mechanical and fire hazard tests. Our products have also been tested for potentially hazardous materials and have easily met safety standards for those materials.

Two of our core values at Kindermusik International are to Always Do What is Best for the Child, and to Be Open, Honest, and Direct. At all times, and especially at times like these, our core values guide our actions. That is why we bring this information directly to Kindermusik educators so you are well equipped to answer questions from your parents.

As you have come to expect from Kindermusik, we have taken great care to test that our products are safe, and we will continue safety testing with vigilance. Please refer any further questions regarding the safety of our toys to Kindermusik International 800-628-5687 or info@kindermusik.com.

Sincerely,
Michael G. Dougherty
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Kindermusik International

Posted August 16, 2007

First Evidence That Musical Training Affects Brain Development In Young Children

McMaster student Andrea Unrau has her mind read by a sensor net that monitors brain activity while music is played in the lab. (Photo by Jason Jones)

"Science Daily — Researchers have found the first evidence that young children who take music lessons show different brain development and improved memory over the course of a year compared to children who do not receive musical training.

The Canadian-based researchers reached these conclusions after measuring changes in brain responses to sounds in children aged between four and six.

Analysis of the music tasks showed greater improvement over the year in melody, harmony and rhythm processing in the children studying music compared to those not studying music. General memory capacity also improved more in the children studying music than in those not studying music."

Read the full article here! Science Daily, Oxford University Press