Music Tip -Download for Pout Pout Fish Song

I can't figure out how to give you a copy of the MP3 download for the Pout Pout Fish song.  So anyone who would like it, please email me, and I'll email the download to you.  Or....if anyone smart out there can tell me how to post it, I'll try it.

Parenting Tip -Jellyfish

Here's a fun project you can make with your child.  A jellyfish in a bottle!

Info on how to make it is here.

Music Tip - The Pout Pout Fish

This is my new favorite book.  It's about a fish who thinks he's a pout pout fish and has no other choice than to spread the "drearie wearies all over the place".  Then a new fish does something unexpected to him and changes his view of himself.  It's really cute. 

A dad wrote the cutest song to go with it.    I would love to get a copy of the music but haven't been able to contact the composer.  I even found out he lives in my city!  So if anyone knows Gordon G, please have him contact me!

UPDATE!  I did contact the composer of the song and he gave me an MP3 download.  I'll see if I have permission to post it. Thanks, Gordon!

Parenting Tip -You are an Artist!

I listened to an interesting podcast today about the stained glass artist, Tom Holdman.   He is a young man who has created and made stained glass windows for LDS temples, Catholic churches, commercial buildings, residences and public art projects. What fascinated me the most about him though, was that he has a speech impediment.  And it was that disability that has shaped him into what he has become today. 

 

As I read more about Tom and his work with stained glass, I was amazed at how many thousands of small pieces of glass go into each window.  I thought of the hours and hours of time it took to work with so many pieces of glass to create a work of art.

 

I think that is one of the reasons we are fascinated and in awe of artists---at least that is why I am.  It not only takes talent, but it takes time and patience to create art.  Any art. 

 

I’m interested in quilting.  That medium uses many small pieces of fabric that are sewn together to create a beautiful masterpiece.   A great painting contains hundreds of strokes of paint.  A symphony is composed of note after note after note to make a beautiful harmonic masterpiece.

 

All great art takes time, patience and the willingness to let the work evolve into a creation of its own.

 

Mothers are artists.  We help create people.  We spend hours, weeks and years teaching and loving and showing patience through many small pieces of daily experiences.  We watch and wonder as our work of art begins to emerge into a beautiful masterpiece.

 

Do we view ourselves as artists or as bored and tired wives and mothers?  An artist works many hours alone with his project.  There is no one encouraging him while he is working laboriously and sometimes tediously on each project.  It is only at the unveiling that he is rewarded with the praise he deserves.

 

So it is with mothers.  Day in and day out we change diapers, cook meals, wash clothes and listen to whining children.  There is no one there to give us a high five and say “good job, Mom!”  But if we’re patient, if we keep in our mind’s eye the long range goal, and if we enjoy the small moments of each day, then we, too, will receive the praise and reward we deserve when our project is finished (is it ever finished?).

 

If we think of ourselves as artists, our daily struggles will seem more glamorous.  If we think of ourselves as artists we will view our “work” as a creative endeavor. If we think of ourselves as artists, we can enjoy the journey and feel gratitude for the magnificent work we have been entrusted with.

Music Tip - Black Socks

I got a message on facebook this week which said, “hi I  just remembered something I think it was you.. I was in 3rd grade and you were a sub one day you had brought your guitar and sang a song _ black socks they never get dirty the longer  you wear them the hurder they get some times i think I should wash them but some thing keeps telling me not yet not yet... was that you???”

I replied, “Oh my gosh!!!! You remembered!!!!! Yes, that was me. I'm famous (?) for that song-----I think. You just got one little word wrong, however. It's ...the longer you wear them the "stronger" they get. Stronger as in stiffness AND smell.”

She wrote back, “yeah it got stuck in my head i sang it to my little brother because he would wear his black socks for about a week,,,yuck... but yeah.lol...will now I know the song better an I'll be singing to my boys...it's funny that i remembered this was when I was 7 an now im 27.lol”

The power of music---remembering a funny song 20 years later!

I did some research on this song so you, my wonderful readers, could enjoy it too.  Since this is a silly, camp style song, there are many versions.  Here are a couple:

Black socks, they never get dirty.
The longer you wear 'em, the stiffer they get.

Sometimes, I think of the laundry,
But something inside me says "Don't send them yet"

Black socks, they never get dirty.
The longer you wear them, the blacker they get.
Sometimes I think of the laundry;
But something keeps telling me don't wash them yet not yet, not yet, not yet...

And since I know you’re dying to hear the melody, here are a couple of versions I found online:

 This next version is sung as a round, which is how I taught it.

You can listen to it here:     

So there you have it.  Another silly song to add to your repertoire. Have fun singing!

The Power of Unconditional Love

It’s been two and half weeks since my husband passed away.  My emotions have been up and down and all around several times a day.  My wonderful children have had to tell me repeatedly, that whatever I’m feeling is okay.  I can do no wrong.  Everything I’m feeling is right. 

For instance, my brothers drove from Texas, California and Utah to come to the funeral.  We have a close knit family and have always loved to play games together.  But during the days after the funeral I  couldn’t bring myself to go visit and play games with them.  I cloistered myself in my house, surrounded by my children and grandchildren and couldn’t interact with anyone else.  I felt guilty but my children reminded me that anything I felt was okay and no one was judging me.  My brothers understood and respected my need for seclusion.

As I pondered the gift of unconditional love my children and brothers gave me I thought of how powerful that gift was.  To know that I was loved for myself—not judged, and that anything I felt would be taken with an understanding heart by others was such a freeing and peaceful feeling.

Do we give our children unconditional love?  Do we accept their feelings, no matter how different they may be from ours and let them have those feelings?  Instead of saying things like “you shouldn’t be mad at your friend,” or “you shouldn’t be so sensitive,” maybe we could say things like “wow, you’re really upset about that” or “that really hurt your feelings didn’t it?”

There is power in communication--power in reaching heart to heart with our children, spouse and friends.  Letting our children talk about their feelings and explore them will help them own their feelings and learn how to control them.  Actions need to be controlled-you don’t hit because you’re mad, but you can be mad.  Then comes the teaching moments when you help your child explore why he is mad, and what he can do about it. 

We are all humans and we all have feelings.  Accepting our own feelings and others is a lifetime job.

The Comfort of Music

My husband has been very sick and recently passed away.  This has been a very hard time for me.  But what I want to share with you is the comfort that music gave to him and myself.  He was hospitalized twice this month and each time he would find the music channel on t.v. and listen to it all day.  The music soothed and comforted him. 

On Sunday mornings at home we like to play Cds of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and other religious music.  We love the cello music of Stephen Sharp Nelson because it reminds us of our daughter who plays the cello. We also like the violin arrangements of Jenny Oaks Baker. Another daughter recorded  a Cd of religious vocal music that we love to listen to.

While my husband was in the hospital on Sunday, I brought up our favorite Cds to listen to and it made both of us feel more at home and peaceful.

Music is powerful.  It heals, comforts and brings peace.  It soothes an aching heart.

Parenting Tip -How to Remember Those Family Stories

My daughter in law presented a segment for KSL TV in Utah on different ways to preserve your family stories.  Every family has those stories that are told and retold when everyone gets together.  The stories sometimes get stretched and embellished, but they bind your family  with fun --and sometimes embarrassing--memories.

What stories does your family have?  How can you keep them alive and cherished?  It doesn't matter how you preserve them, just do it.

Parenting Tip - Laughter - The Best Medicine

Is life going crazy for you right now?  Are the kids driving you up a wall?  Then take 5 minutes out of your day and laugh.

We all know there is value in laughing.  It lowers your blood pressure, protects your heart, boosts your immune system, relieves pain and depression, bla, bla, bla. You can probably remember a time from your past when you and a friend laughed so hard you cried.  I can.  I remember lots of times, but if I told you the reason why we were laughing, it wouldn't even be funny to you.  Or me.  But it sure was funny then.

Laughing bonds you to those you laugh with. Why?  Because you are sharing a personal, intense emotion.   So shouldn't you be laughing at home so you can bond with your children and husband?  Many times while parents watch their baby's and children's antics they will laugh and feel closer because of it.

Why can children laugh so easily?  Because they don't have the stress and responsibilities that we as adults have, of course.  But we can learn from children.  Learn to live in the moment, enjoy the now, be enchanted with what your eyes are seeing and your heart is feeling.

Maybe we should all have funny pictures hanging in our homes (you know the ones where the kids are messing around when you want to take a photograph) and CDs of laughter (or just watch you tube once a day).  Maybe we should make funny faces in the mirror and play jokes on each other.

I just couldn't resist sharing this video of one of  my grandsons laughing.

Parenting Tip - Preschool Writing Attempts

It’s always fun when your preschooler gets interested in learning to write his name and other family member’s names.

My daughter-in-law sent me this hilarious picture of how Tac-age 3- wrote his dad’s name. The curve on the “p’s” didn’t quite get down as far as they should have or else he's confused about "p" and "d", and his “a” needs a lot of help. He must have been sounding out d-a-a-d to get two “a’s” in there!



Way to go, Tac, keep practicing

 

I'm trying to change my blog so the posts are more easily read.  Please bear with me as I tweak things here and there!

Parenting Tip - Adult Peer Pressure

Peer pressure. It’s always there whether you’re in grade school, junior high, high school or as an ADULT. I have felt peer pressure stronger as an adult than I ever did while I was in school.

I think Moms are particularly susceptible to pressure as we raise our children and create our family’s traditions. We look at other mothers and see what they’re doing and think we should be doing that too. We need to have our kids enrolled on the swim team or in swimming lessons. Of course we have to join the library’s summer reading program and our children need enrichment during the summer so we should enroll them in an arts camp like so and so did. Everyone we know is planning a fun and exciting family vacation and though money is tight, we need to go somewhere too. How can we deprive our children of all these enriching experiences?

During the school year we experience peer pressure as to which school is best suited for our children’s needs. Is it the charter school that ______ is sending her children to, or the preschool that everyone in the neighborhood thinks is fantastic. We’ve got to sign up for T ball and soccer and gymnastics and piano lessons. And I’ve heard that ____ is taking singing lessons, so I better look into that too.

Yikes! I’ve got a stomach ache just thinking of all these things!

Then if you start looking at the HUNDREDS of craft blogs and educational blogs and homeschooling and refashioning blogs on the internet you can go crazy! You can spend so much time reading about what others are doing and trying to copy ALL of them, that you spend precious energy and time on THINGS instead of people—the people in your home.

Why do I know this? Because I have fallen into the “Keeping up with the Jones” peer pressure trap so often in my life. It’s very easy to do. But when you find yourself hyperventilating or being critical of your husband, children and home, when you spend more time on the computer than reading to your children, and when you are grouchy, irritable and ungrateful, then it’s time to take stock of your situation. It’s time to stop and be still. It’s time to write down your blessings. It’s time to start saying prayers of gratitude for what you do have.

Throw away fashion and home decorating magazines. Limit the time you read other people’s blogs. Limit facebook to 15 minutes. And instead read your scriptures. Relax and enjoy your children. Read a good book. Make cookies. Ahhh….. I’m feeling happier already!

Music Tip #80 Recipe for Getting Hyper Kids into Sleeping Kids

My daughter called me one night with what she called her “homemade recipe for getting-wound-up-hyper-kids to sleep”.  She said it works like a charm every time. 

This is what you do: with your child lying in his bed, you pat his back while singing a song to him, but you’re patting very quickly, kind of matching his wound up energy level. Then you sing the song again, but this time pat a little slower. 

You sing the song 2 more times, and with each repetition you pat slower than the time before.  And wholah!  Your child has calmed down and in my daughter’s case the night she called me, her son was sound asleep—in just 4 times of singing the song with the gradual slowing down on each repetition!  She said this works for her 8 year too.

In musical terms, you pat 8ths notes the first time you sing the song. Pat quarter notes the second time, half notes the third time and whole notes the fourth time.  Wow!  Try it out tonight!

From this:

 To this:

Music Tip #79 Practice Music Skills at the Computer!

In one of my previous blogs, I mentioned having computer time for children during the week.  There are a lot of educational sites out there for children from art and drawing to puzzles and logic games.  Summer is a great time to reinforce some musical skills.  Here are a few sites that offer general music information as well as honing in on those rhythm and note naming skills which are so important.

http://www.musictechteacher.com/musicquizzes.htm  This site has a ton of information on theory, instrument families, quizzes and games for piano note reading and rhythm skills.

http://www.8notes.com/games  I especially like the note trainer and keyboard trainer on this site.  You can click on toggle to give more help for beginners and change the settings to make the parameters fit where your child needs practice.  This site also has free lessons in music theory.

http://www.makingmusicfun.net/htm/arcade.htm This site has some fun arcade games to help with note naming and rhythm

 http://www.primarygames.com/arcade/music/musicalnotes/index.htm Another fun arcade game site

http://www.practicespot.com/theorycenter.phtml?t=59 This site has lots of info for the teacher, but also drill pages to copy for students as well as online quiz sheets.

Kids love to play computer games, so the smart parents will utilize this to their advantage and let their children learn while they play.

Parenting Tip #86 Kindness Recital

July is the perfect month for sibling fights to escalate. The newness of school being out is over. Boredom is starting to creep in. The weather is getting hot and humid. And tempers start to flare.

So....

July is the perfect month to have a Kindness Recital. You’ve heard of a music recital, of course, where everyone shares what they have been practicing. Well, this is a “kindness” recital where you also share what you have been practicing—kindness.

You can make this as simple or as elaborate as you wish. First you need to decide on a date for the recital, say one or two weeks from now, and then you need to announce and explain to your family what you plan on doing.

Tell them that the purpose of a musical recital is to share what you have been practicing, and tell them as a family you are going to practice being kind. Define what you mean as “kind” and give examples so your children really understand. Kindness is the Golden Rule, it’s sharing, not hitting, taking turns, and thinking of another’s feelings. It’s being cheerful and obedient, letting your sister be first, and not arguing. It’s being helpful and not grouchy. It's using a pleasant tone of voice.

You could make a simple chart listing what kindness is, then post it and let family members put a star or sticker on it each time someone is kind to them. Or make a more elaborate chart where they can add a paper scoop of ice cream to a paper ice cream cone each time they do a kindness (and then go get ice cream after the recital, of course).

You could make little journals and have family members write down their ideas on ways they can be kind and list when they did it and how they felt.

Here’s a kindness song that you could sing during the week. http://lds.org/churchmusic/detailmusicPlayer/index.html?searchlanguage=1&searchcollection=2&searchseqstart=145&searchsubseqstart=b&searchseqend=145&searchsubseqend=b
You might have your children draw pictures or slogans and place them in rooms around the house to remind everyone of your focus. You could let family members ring a bell every time they are kind or someone is kind to them.

When you have your Kindness Recital, make it somewhat formal with all family members sitting down. Take turns letting family members tell about kindnesses that were shown to them and kindnesses that they did to someone else. You could applaud each family member or have them high five each other. Talk about the feelings you have felt during this practice time and how your home has been a happier place. 

Take photographs during the practice week of family members doing acts of kindness. Take photos during the recital and after it while you’re eating refreshments. Make the photos into a little book so that you can remember and be encouraged to continue being kind. You could even skype the grandparents and invite them to your Kindness Recital.

WE, as parents and grandparents, need to exemplify kindness in the way we talk to our children. In the way we treat our children. Teach and expect your children to be kind. And then…….the world will be a better place!