What is a parent? A parent is a teacher. Who does a parent teach? Their child, of course! Here are some ideas from my daughter-in-law Katie, and my brother Paul and his wife Cheryl Ann:
Teach kids to be assertive. Give them choices within the bounds you have set. Example: they need to get dressed, you set that bound. BUT they can pick which shirt they want. You are still being the standard, but letting them have power in the choices they are making. This will help them trust their own judgment and be able to stand up for themselves when they need to. Being assertive teaches them they have a voice and can, and should be respected for it.
Teach children what you expect of them. If you want your children to sit still, teach them what it means to sit still. If they don’t understand what their body is supposed to do when you say sit still, then how are they ever going to know how to sit still?
Teach your children to do chores. If you invite your children to do chores beside you, they are happy to and you actually get more done.
Teach girls what it means to be a girl. How to act like a girl and how a boy should treat them. Some people don’t get respected because they don’t demand respect. Girls need to learn what it means to be a lady so they will never put up with someone who doesn’t treat them that way.
Teach boys what it means to be a boy and how to treat girls. Such things as holding open a door for a girl or not hitting a girl; pretty basic, but needed.
One of the biggest problems in today’s world is parents who are too passive. Children need good parents--not good friends. Be the parent, run the home, be in charge. Parents think their children will just know things. Our duty is to teach them. That’s the job God gave us. Children need someone to rely on and to teach them. Teach with love and enjoy your child!
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Sunday, May 9, 2010
Music Tip #38 The Dumb Song
For all you piano players out there…or piano teachers or piano parents who are looking for a fun song to GRAB your interest, student or child, here’s a fun one I was introduced to by one of my students at school the other day. It’s called “The Dumb Song” by Jon Schmidt (just the title alone will grab preteen/teenage students). You can listen to it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzVaD5dSjEI&feature=related and buy it here:
http://www.jonschmidt.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=174&osCsid=626f232117eab8fd1d48aed5b35aaf84.
I've been trying to find fun music that will catch my piano students' interest. I've simplified some of the them, or found them simplified in various places. Here's some that most students like: Addams Family, Axel F, Baby Elephant Walk,The Entertainer, Ghostbusters, In the Hall of the Mountain King,Indiana Jones, It's a Small World,Linus and Lucy,Mission Impossible, Pink Panther,Somewhere over the Rainbow, Star Wars, and We Will Rock You.
Here's a link that has free downloads of simplified music: http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/printit_piano_sheet_music_index.htm
Please share piano songs that you know of that are a hit with your child or students.
http://www.jonschmidt.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=174&osCsid=626f232117eab8fd1d48aed5b35aaf84.
I've been trying to find fun music that will catch my piano students' interest. I've simplified some of the them, or found them simplified in various places. Here's some that most students like: Addams Family, Axel F, Baby Elephant Walk,The Entertainer, Ghostbusters, In the Hall of the Mountain King,Indiana Jones, It's a Small World,Linus and Lucy,Mission Impossible, Pink Panther,Somewhere over the Rainbow, Star Wars, and We Will Rock You.
Here's a link that has free downloads of simplified music: http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/printit_piano_sheet_music_index.htm
Please share piano songs that you know of that are a hit with your child or students.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Music Tip #37 Pots and Pans Jam Session
My ASU Baby Signing class is over now. Boo hoo. What fun it was to see these little toddlers grow and blossom over the semester. If you don’t have an opportunity to enroll you and your child in a music class, you can always have your own at home. Just get out the pots and pans, put on some music and have an instrument jam session. A fun song to jam along with is “Pots and Pans” from the book and CD entitled Dog Train. http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_adv_m_digital/?search-alias=digital-music&unfiltered=1&field-keywords=&field-author=&field-title=Pots+and+Pans&field-label=&field-browse=624899011&sort=relevancerank&Adv-Srch-MP3-Submit.x=29&Adv-Srch-MP3-Submit.y=11
I bought this book/cd for $5 as one of Kohl’s Cares for Kids merchandise. http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/ourbrands/kohlscaresforkids.jsp
Parenting Tip #37 "See #5 below"
I asked my brother, John, for some parenting ideas. He and his wife have 6 wonderful, responsible children, age 20-32--but they used to be little kids, just like yours. Here is his advice:
1.Children are not just short adults. Don’t put them in “adult”situations that they will have no way to understand (like taking them to a nice restaurant, or a reception) and then being angry with them for not having good manners or sitting quietly with nothing to do for an hour. See #5 below.
2 For the same reason, don’t act as if children understand everything the way an adult does. Children's brains cannot comprehend many things yet-they don’t have the cognitive skills to understand some concepts until they are much older. For example, the concept of “good” is hard for children to understand. When they are young, “good” is equal to “what I want”. A child thinks “it is good for me to have the toy you are playing with because I want it. If I have to hit or bite you to get it, then that is good”. It takes time to create the idea that some things are good even though you don’t want them or won’t see the benefit for a long time. Heck, lots of adults haven’t got that figured out yet. See #5 below
3. Because of #2 above, it helped me as a parent to not get exasperated and say (in a loud or angry voice) or think “I’ve told you that a hundred times”. I realize that on an average, a child may need to hear that message 10,000 times before they will have the experience and ability to “get it”. So I just tell them kindly the concept for the 100th time without expecting them to really “get it”, but with confidence that they will eventually get it if I keep telling or explaining it to them kindly and lovingly. See #5 below.
4. One of the very best things I learned is that “distraction “ is a pro-active skill for parents. It is helpful in a million ways. If an argument is underway or starting (between parent and child, child and child, etc), say “Let’s go for a walk”, “Can I read you a book”, “Let’s see what I have in my purse (pocket), etc. Often fights or arguments are over petty things that won’t matter in half an hour. Rather than continuing or escalating the problem, just let the argument lie on the floor and die because it can’t compete with a distraction that is more interesting. See #5 below.
5.A child’s testimony [of God ]begins with the very elementary thought and feeling that they “like” church. Getting mad at them to “hurry or we’ll be late” falls in the concept of #2 above. From a kid’s mind, what does “being late” mean” ? Why is it bad to “be late”. You can’t explain it to them now, so just set their clothes out on Saturday night, go to bed early and get up early enough that the family isn’t running around getting upset. During Church (incorporating #4) bring quiet, age appropriate distractions to help engage them in the meeting. If they are restless and noisy, take them kindly to the foyer. In that more relaxed environment, you can begin teaching reverence, knowing (because of #3) that they aren’t going to “get it” that Sunday, but that they will eventually “get it”. Walk quietly around the church with them telling them gospel stories, getting a drink, etc. All these can help create the feeling in a child that they like to go to church. It always bothers me to see parents yank their kids angrily out of a church meeting and then insist they sit quietly on their lap in the foyer, spanking their leg if they wiggle. When I see that, I think, “there is a teenager-in-the-making who won’t like church”. Of course, that is judgmental of me, but Cathy didn’t ask anything about being judgmental!
Thanks, John, your children turned out "good" and they have proven your points! (see #2)
1.Children are not just short adults. Don’t put them in “adult”situations that they will have no way to understand (like taking them to a nice restaurant, or a reception) and then being angry with them for not having good manners or sitting quietly with nothing to do for an hour. See #5 below.
2 For the same reason, don’t act as if children understand everything the way an adult does. Children's brains cannot comprehend many things yet-they don’t have the cognitive skills to understand some concepts until they are much older. For example, the concept of “good” is hard for children to understand. When they are young, “good” is equal to “what I want”. A child thinks “it is good for me to have the toy you are playing with because I want it. If I have to hit or bite you to get it, then that is good”. It takes time to create the idea that some things are good even though you don’t want them or won’t see the benefit for a long time. Heck, lots of adults haven’t got that figured out yet. See #5 below
3. Because of #2 above, it helped me as a parent to not get exasperated and say (in a loud or angry voice) or think “I’ve told you that a hundred times”. I realize that on an average, a child may need to hear that message 10,000 times before they will have the experience and ability to “get it”. So I just tell them kindly the concept for the 100th time without expecting them to really “get it”, but with confidence that they will eventually get it if I keep telling or explaining it to them kindly and lovingly. See #5 below.
4. One of the very best things I learned is that “distraction “ is a pro-active skill for parents. It is helpful in a million ways. If an argument is underway or starting (between parent and child, child and child, etc), say “Let’s go for a walk”, “Can I read you a book”, “Let’s see what I have in my purse (pocket), etc. Often fights or arguments are over petty things that won’t matter in half an hour. Rather than continuing or escalating the problem, just let the argument lie on the floor and die because it can’t compete with a distraction that is more interesting. See #5 below.
5.A child’s testimony [of God ]begins with the very elementary thought and feeling that they “like” church. Getting mad at them to “hurry or we’ll be late” falls in the concept of #2 above. From a kid’s mind, what does “being late” mean” ? Why is it bad to “be late”. You can’t explain it to them now, so just set their clothes out on Saturday night, go to bed early and get up early enough that the family isn’t running around getting upset. During Church (incorporating #4) bring quiet, age appropriate distractions to help engage them in the meeting. If they are restless and noisy, take them kindly to the foyer. In that more relaxed environment, you can begin teaching reverence, knowing (because of #3) that they aren’t going to “get it” that Sunday, but that they will eventually “get it”. Walk quietly around the church with them telling them gospel stories, getting a drink, etc. All these can help create the feeling in a child that they like to go to church. It always bothers me to see parents yank their kids angrily out of a church meeting and then insist they sit quietly on their lap in the foyer, spanking their leg if they wiggle. When I see that, I think, “there is a teenager-in-the-making who won’t like church”. Of course, that is judgmental of me, but Cathy didn’t ask anything about being judgmental!
Thanks, John, your children turned out "good" and they have proven your points! (see #2)
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Parenting Tip #36 School teacher's tips
My sister has never married. She is a school teacher and has taught 3rd or 6th grade for over 40 years. I asked her for some parenting tips because even though she is not a parent to a biological child, she has been a parent to hundreds of children over the years.
These are her comments:
1. Respect your children. For eternity we will be contemporaries (she said this because of our belief that there will be life after death, and we will be with our families there)
2.Don’t make the older child always give in to the younger child just because he’s younger. Be fair-- if the true facts are known. The younger child is less likely to even remember the confrontation, while the older child will and start to resent the younger one.
3.Be sure your kids know you are honored and thrilled the Lord trusted you to be their parents.
4.Power struggles are a lose/lose situation. The adult should be the one smart enough to avoid or disengage. (use distraction and other techniques)
5.Don’t pit child against child (“Why can’t you get good grades like your brother?”) Every child has strengths. Talk about those frequently and publically!
6.Pass on second-hand compliments promptly. It’s a great feeling to get positive recognition from people outside your own home.
7.Stay single. That way there’s no evidence you’re a bad parent! (said with tongue in cheek)
These are her comments:
1. Respect your children. For eternity we will be contemporaries (she said this because of our belief that there will be life after death, and we will be with our families there)
2.Don’t make the older child always give in to the younger child just because he’s younger. Be fair-- if the true facts are known. The younger child is less likely to even remember the confrontation, while the older child will and start to resent the younger one.
3.Be sure your kids know you are honored and thrilled the Lord trusted you to be their parents.
4.Power struggles are a lose/lose situation. The adult should be the one smart enough to avoid or disengage. (use distraction and other techniques)
5.Don’t pit child against child (“Why can’t you get good grades like your brother?”) Every child has strengths. Talk about those frequently and publically!
6.Pass on second-hand compliments promptly. It’s a great feeling to get positive recognition from people outside your own home.
7.Stay single. That way there’s no evidence you’re a bad parent! (said with tongue in cheek)
Music Tip #36 Inspired Music
I just listened to a great talk by Michael Ballam, a professor of music at Utah State University on the power of music. http://www.byub.org/talks/Talk.aspx?id=3885
He stated how the truly great composers were inspired from God and attributed their inspiration for composing to come from God.
"I immediately feel vibrations that thrill my whole being. These are the Spirit illuminating the soul power within, and in this exalted state, I see clearly what is obscure in my ordinary moods: Then I feel capable of drawing inspiration from above, as Beethoven did ... Straitway the ideas flow in upon me, directly from God, and not only do I see distinct themes in my mind's eye but they are clothed in the right forms, harmonies and orchestration. Measure by measure, the finished product is revealed to me when I am in those rare, inspired moods.
The powers from which all truly great composers like Mozart, Schubert, Bach and Beethoven drew their inspiration is the same power that enabled Jesus to work his miracles.
It is the power that created our earth and the whole universe."
~Johannes Brahms
from "Talks with Great Composers" by Arthur M. Abell, published by Philosophical Library
Isn’t it interesting that the music of Beethoven, Brahms and Bach, while composed hundreds of years ago, is still played and listened to today while the music of hundreds of “popular” artists has long ago been forgotten.
I teach the Suzuki piano method and have taught it for over 20 years. The Suzuki piano repertoire never changes. It consists of classical pieces composed by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven. I have taught the same pieces to hundreds of students for years and years. And I love teaching these pieces—I never tire of hearing these same melodies.
But when I teach the “reading” aspect of piano, I use different method books, those that you and I were taught from. I can only teach those pieces for 4-5 years until I am so sick of them I have to stop. Then I look for another method book and teach it for a few years until I’m sick of those songs.
Yet with the classics, I could teach them forever and find more and more interest in them.
Why? They were inspired from God and have God’s hand on them. They speak to my soul and my soul recognizes something eternal in them.
He stated how the truly great composers were inspired from God and attributed their inspiration for composing to come from God.
"I immediately feel vibrations that thrill my whole being. These are the Spirit illuminating the soul power within, and in this exalted state, I see clearly what is obscure in my ordinary moods: Then I feel capable of drawing inspiration from above, as Beethoven did ... Straitway the ideas flow in upon me, directly from God, and not only do I see distinct themes in my mind's eye but they are clothed in the right forms, harmonies and orchestration. Measure by measure, the finished product is revealed to me when I am in those rare, inspired moods.
The powers from which all truly great composers like Mozart, Schubert, Bach and Beethoven drew their inspiration is the same power that enabled Jesus to work his miracles.
It is the power that created our earth and the whole universe."
~Johannes Brahms
from "Talks with Great Composers" by Arthur M. Abell, published by Philosophical Library
Isn’t it interesting that the music of Beethoven, Brahms and Bach, while composed hundreds of years ago, is still played and listened to today while the music of hundreds of “popular” artists has long ago been forgotten.
I teach the Suzuki piano method and have taught it for over 20 years. The Suzuki piano repertoire never changes. It consists of classical pieces composed by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven. I have taught the same pieces to hundreds of students for years and years. And I love teaching these pieces—I never tire of hearing these same melodies.
But when I teach the “reading” aspect of piano, I use different method books, those that you and I were taught from. I can only teach those pieces for 4-5 years until I am so sick of them I have to stop. Then I look for another method book and teach it for a few years until I’m sick of those songs.
Yet with the classics, I could teach them forever and find more and more interest in them.
Why? They were inspired from God and have God’s hand on them. They speak to my soul and my soul recognizes something eternal in them.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Music Tip #35 Music/hula hoops/pool noodles
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.”Albert Einstein
I love to watch children use their imagination. They can create so much with so little. But it's up to us, as parents, to help and encourage their creativity. Here are some ideas to get you started. Lay a hula hoop on the floor and tell your child it's a boat, then begin singing "Row, row, row your boat". Next excitedly point behind him and yell, "there's a shark, better row faster!" and sing the song at a fast tempo. But beware, you can spend an hour on this activity--singing and pointing out sharks and whales and singing--over and over again.
When you've had your fill--but your child hasn't--just put on some fast music and have him row to it. Or tell him it's a lily pad now and he's the frog. Spread out several hula hoops that he can jump to. No hula hoops? Use pillows, dish cloths, yarn spread in a circle. Remember--imagination!
What about foam pool noodles. I love these for imagination purposes. They can become horses, swords (oh well, at least they're soft)or used for obstacle courses. Add music and let the music dictate what the noodles become.
How about scarves, dish cloths, pillow cases and music. Of course there's your basic pots and pans band. Wax paper over a comb becomes a kazoo. Ribbon tied onto a plastic spoon or shower curtain ring becomes a wonderful streamer to dance with to music. Foam cutouts like butterflies that have been decorated and have a stick taped to the back become music wands to dance with. And my favorite. A flashlight, music and a darkened room. Life just can't get any better!
"Imagination is more important than knowledge" Albert Einstein
I love to watch children use their imagination. They can create so much with so little. But it's up to us, as parents, to help and encourage their creativity. Here are some ideas to get you started. Lay a hula hoop on the floor and tell your child it's a boat, then begin singing "Row, row, row your boat". Next excitedly point behind him and yell, "there's a shark, better row faster!" and sing the song at a fast tempo. But beware, you can spend an hour on this activity--singing and pointing out sharks and whales and singing--over and over again.
When you've had your fill--but your child hasn't--just put on some fast music and have him row to it. Or tell him it's a lily pad now and he's the frog. Spread out several hula hoops that he can jump to. No hula hoops? Use pillows, dish cloths, yarn spread in a circle. Remember--imagination!
What about foam pool noodles. I love these for imagination purposes. They can become horses, swords (oh well, at least they're soft)or used for obstacle courses. Add music and let the music dictate what the noodles become.
How about scarves, dish cloths, pillow cases and music. Of course there's your basic pots and pans band. Wax paper over a comb becomes a kazoo. Ribbon tied onto a plastic spoon or shower curtain ring becomes a wonderful streamer to dance with to music. Foam cutouts like butterflies that have been decorated and have a stick taped to the back become music wands to dance with. And my favorite. A flashlight, music and a darkened room. Life just can't get any better!
"Imagination is more important than knowledge" Albert Einstein
Parenting Tip #35 Tips for Shopping with Children
Grocery shopping with kids-- Shudder. Scream.
Yes, we all know that “shopping” and “kids” should not be in the same sentence. But since most of the time they are, here are some tips I’ve gathered from parents like you.
Prepare before you go to the store. Bring stuff for bored kids, hungry kids, potty training kids, thirsty kids. Then you can anticipate and prevent drama in the dairy section.
Do not go into a store without a shopping list and do not buy anything not on the list. Not only do you save money this way but it reduces the amount of time it takes to drag your family through the store.
Here’s a tip for parents with skinny kids. My kids have all been skinny enough to wiggle out of the seat belt on the shopping cart and manage to stand up on the seat. I decided I needed something better so I went and bought a kid walking harness and a metal C-ring clip. I kept them in our van. The total cost was under $7. Whenever we went shopping I would put the harness on my child and then hook the clip (instead of the leash) onto the back of the harness and then clip it to the back of the cart seat on the metal bar. This allowed my daughter to be comfortable, but she couldn’t get out of the harness or stand up in the cart. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00081L4YW/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000R6ZICM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0JDCVWXRYEBE3RSX6B85
I keep Maya (age 3) entertained at the store by letting her cross off the things on our list and by putting the things we need in the shopping cart.
If I’m going to Walmart or Target, I let my daughter take a few minutes to play with the toys. Of course we always say that we are only going to look and not buy. However, if you think your child is going to have a total melt down and tantrum, then avoid the toys!
I usually shop with my preschooler when the older kids are in school. It seems that the more kids you have together, the more trouble you have.
During the wintertime I hang my coat over the basket of the shopping cart. My daughter likes to pretend that she is an animal living in a cave or that the covered basket is her fort. This works out great if you are only getting a few things or if the whole family is coming along and you push two carts.
Share any shopping tips you've discovered with us!
Yes, we all know that “shopping” and “kids” should not be in the same sentence. But since most of the time they are, here are some tips I’ve gathered from parents like you.
Prepare before you go to the store. Bring stuff for bored kids, hungry kids, potty training kids, thirsty kids. Then you can anticipate and prevent drama in the dairy section.
Do not go into a store without a shopping list and do not buy anything not on the list. Not only do you save money this way but it reduces the amount of time it takes to drag your family through the store.
Here’s a tip for parents with skinny kids. My kids have all been skinny enough to wiggle out of the seat belt on the shopping cart and manage to stand up on the seat. I decided I needed something better so I went and bought a kid walking harness and a metal C-ring clip. I kept them in our van. The total cost was under $7. Whenever we went shopping I would put the harness on my child and then hook the clip (instead of the leash) onto the back of the harness and then clip it to the back of the cart seat on the metal bar. This allowed my daughter to be comfortable, but she couldn’t get out of the harness or stand up in the cart. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00081L4YW/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000R6ZICM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0JDCVWXRYEBE3RSX6B85
I keep Maya (age 3) entertained at the store by letting her cross off the things on our list and by putting the things we need in the shopping cart.
If I’m going to Walmart or Target, I let my daughter take a few minutes to play with the toys. Of course we always say that we are only going to look and not buy. However, if you think your child is going to have a total melt down and tantrum, then avoid the toys!
I usually shop with my preschooler when the older kids are in school. It seems that the more kids you have together, the more trouble you have.
During the wintertime I hang my coat over the basket of the shopping cart. My daughter likes to pretend that she is an animal living in a cave or that the covered basket is her fort. This works out great if you are only getting a few things or if the whole family is coming along and you push two carts.
Share any shopping tips you've discovered with us!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Parenting Tip #34 TTT(Tried and Tested Tips)
At my ASU Baby Signing class on Saturday I heard a few of the mothers telling each other ideas they've been using that have worked with their toddlers. They said I could share them on my blog. I loved the idea of getting "tried and tested" tips (TTT)so I asked my extended family members to give me tips that have worked well for them. I received SO MANY great ideas, that I can't post them all in one week. So I will post just a few of them this week and each week or so I will post more of them.
Soren's mom said she plays music while giving her young son his bath. HER KIND OF MUSIC. That way bathtime doesn't seem so long and boring!
Troy's mom said she has Troy say "bye, bye" when leaving the park, a friend's house, etc. This makes the transition easier and Troy is willing to leave.
Laney's mom said she learned to sign the alphabet when she was in fourth grade from her teacher. He had the class finger spell their spelling words in sign language each week and it really helped her learn how to spell her words.
Mark learned an important word when he was a teacher. HALT. It stands for hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Usually children fit into one of those categories when they have undesirable behavior (adults too). When your child is acting up, HALT. See if he needs to eat, rest, change activities or needs to express his emotions.
Katie said be consistent. Whatever you are doing with your kids, be consistent. Don't do idle threats because you are teaching them not to trust you. If they can't trust what you say, they won't be able to trust when you tell them you love them, either.
Faith said you can't have a constantly clean house AND be constantly nice and happy with your children. One of them has to suffer a little. Which one? (Depends on who's coming over...)And....say no to other people so you can say yes to your kids.
Soren's mom said she plays music while giving her young son his bath. HER KIND OF MUSIC. That way bathtime doesn't seem so long and boring!
Troy's mom said she has Troy say "bye, bye" when leaving the park, a friend's house, etc. This makes the transition easier and Troy is willing to leave.
Laney's mom said she learned to sign the alphabet when she was in fourth grade from her teacher. He had the class finger spell their spelling words in sign language each week and it really helped her learn how to spell her words.
Mark learned an important word when he was a teacher. HALT. It stands for hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Usually children fit into one of those categories when they have undesirable behavior (adults too). When your child is acting up, HALT. See if he needs to eat, rest, change activities or needs to express his emotions.
Katie said be consistent. Whatever you are doing with your kids, be consistent. Don't do idle threats because you are teaching them not to trust you. If they can't trust what you say, they won't be able to trust when you tell them you love them, either.
Faith said you can't have a constantly clean house AND be constantly nice and happy with your children. One of them has to suffer a little. Which one? (Depends on who's coming over...)And....say no to other people so you can say yes to your kids.
Music Tip #34 Pentatonic Scales
My sister sent me this link and said she had never heard of the pentatonic scale.
http://pjcockrell.wordpress.com/2007/11/22/amazing-grace-just-the-black-notes/
I emailed her back:I use the pentatonic scale at school all the time. Penta means 5 notes. You can use 5 white notes, too. A "C" pentatonic scale has no "frys or burgers" in it (CDE GA). The G pentatonic scale has no "corn flakes" (GAB DE) and the F pentatonic scale has no "bacon and eggs" (FGA CD). The students actually take those bars off the xylophone or metallophone and visually you see groups of 2 notes together and 3 notes together.
All notes in the pentatonic scale sound good together, so it's a great scale to have children play and improvise on. They think it sounds like Chinese music, oops, did that sound racist? Perhaps I should say Asian.
Bobby McFerrin does this cool thing with the pentatonic scale at the World Science Festival 2009. http://vimeo.com/5732745
So if you want to have fun some day, sit down to the piano or keyboard with your child and improvise on the black keys. Let your child play you a "song", then you play one back. Create funny titles for your songs and even make up words. Use snappy rhythms and yes, even play "Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater" (everyone knows that one on the black keys, don't they?)
http://pjcockrell.wordpress.com/2007/11/22/amazing-grace-just-the-black-notes/
I emailed her back:I use the pentatonic scale at school all the time. Penta means 5 notes. You can use 5 white notes, too. A "C" pentatonic scale has no "frys or burgers" in it (CDE GA). The G pentatonic scale has no "corn flakes" (GAB DE) and the F pentatonic scale has no "bacon and eggs" (FGA CD). The students actually take those bars off the xylophone or metallophone and visually you see groups of 2 notes together and 3 notes together.
All notes in the pentatonic scale sound good together, so it's a great scale to have children play and improvise on. They think it sounds like Chinese music, oops, did that sound racist? Perhaps I should say Asian.
Bobby McFerrin does this cool thing with the pentatonic scale at the World Science Festival 2009. http://vimeo.com/5732745
So if you want to have fun some day, sit down to the piano or keyboard with your child and improvise on the black keys. Let your child play you a "song", then you play one back. Create funny titles for your songs and even make up words. Use snappy rhythms and yes, even play "Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater" (everyone knows that one on the black keys, don't they?)
Monday, April 5, 2010
Parenting Tip #33 Are Their Eyes Shining?
Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Symphony gives an inspiring talk on TED http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion.html . He relates an “aha moment” he had when he realized that as a conductor, he doesn’t make a sound. He said his job was to “awaken possibility in other people.” Then he asked the question,“ How can you find out if you’re doing that? You look in their eyes. If their eyes are shining, you know you’re doing it.”
As parents, we are the “conductors” of our family symphony with our children being the orchestra members. It is our job to awaken possibility in them. We can do that by providing them with opportunities to create, explore and discover. Does that mean we enroll them in every enrichment class and lesson we can find? NO! It means we provide them with books, paper, crayons, glue, and ideas. We take them to the library, park, museums and concerts. We investigate, ask questions, and discover answers with them. We ask them for their ideas on solving problems.
And how do we know if we’re doing our job well? We look into their eyes to see if they are shining. If they’re shining, we know “we’re doing it”.
Look at this site for more ideas: http://www.ehow.com/how_4597204_help-child-be-creative.html
As parents, we are the “conductors” of our family symphony with our children being the orchestra members. It is our job to awaken possibility in them. We can do that by providing them with opportunities to create, explore and discover. Does that mean we enroll them in every enrichment class and lesson we can find? NO! It means we provide them with books, paper, crayons, glue, and ideas. We take them to the library, park, museums and concerts. We investigate, ask questions, and discover answers with them. We ask them for their ideas on solving problems.
And how do we know if we’re doing our job well? We look into their eyes to see if they are shining. If they’re shining, we know “we’re doing it”.
Look at this site for more ideas: http://www.ehow.com/how_4597204_help-child-be-creative.html
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Music Tip #33 Wow, Music Works!
“Now I’m going to run along and skip along the way.”
“Wait for me, I’m coming too, I also want to play.”
Those are the opening lines to a song that comes from the music, “Children’s March, Over the Hills and Far Away” by Percy Grainger. I taught it to a preschool music class and the children enjoyed using their pointer fingers on each hand to represent the two children in the song as they “ran and skipped along the way”. The moms and I sang the words as the children wiggled and skipped their fingers in the air.
A few weeks later, one of the moms told me she had been trying to get her 3 year old daughter and newborn son in the car but wasn’t having much success. Finally the mom walked towards the car with the baby and started singing “Now I’m going to run along and skip along the way”. Immediately her daughter came running and sang “wait for me, I’m coming too, I also want to play.” The mom and daughter sang the whole song in the car as they drove, the mom being utterly astonished because she didn’t know her daughter had even remembered the song. The mom quickly taught her husband the words and melody so he, too, could use this newly discovered method of getting their stubborn daughter in the car!
Yeah, for the power and influence music has! We need to use music to our advantage. It can calm, distract, engage, encourage, excite, relax, and revitalize us. Use fast music while your family cleans the house. Sing Sesame Street’s “Rubber Ducky” during bath time. Use soothing music while homework is being done. And of course sing lullabies and favorite songs during the bedtime ritual.
[words/movements to song in Kids Can Listen, Kids Can Move by Lynn Kleiner http://www.musicrhapsody.com/books.php4#tb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuSXAP1ABAM
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords=children%27s+march+over+the+hills&x=0&y=0
“Wait for me, I’m coming too, I also want to play.”
Those are the opening lines to a song that comes from the music, “Children’s March, Over the Hills and Far Away” by Percy Grainger. I taught it to a preschool music class and the children enjoyed using their pointer fingers on each hand to represent the two children in the song as they “ran and skipped along the way”. The moms and I sang the words as the children wiggled and skipped their fingers in the air.
A few weeks later, one of the moms told me she had been trying to get her 3 year old daughter and newborn son in the car but wasn’t having much success. Finally the mom walked towards the car with the baby and started singing “Now I’m going to run along and skip along the way”. Immediately her daughter came running and sang “wait for me, I’m coming too, I also want to play.” The mom and daughter sang the whole song in the car as they drove, the mom being utterly astonished because she didn’t know her daughter had even remembered the song. The mom quickly taught her husband the words and melody so he, too, could use this newly discovered method of getting their stubborn daughter in the car!
Yeah, for the power and influence music has! We need to use music to our advantage. It can calm, distract, engage, encourage, excite, relax, and revitalize us. Use fast music while your family cleans the house. Sing Sesame Street’s “Rubber Ducky” during bath time. Use soothing music while homework is being done. And of course sing lullabies and favorite songs during the bedtime ritual.
[words/movements to song in Kids Can Listen, Kids Can Move by Lynn Kleiner http://www.musicrhapsody.com/books.php4#tb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuSXAP1ABAM
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords=children%27s+march+over+the+hills&x=0&y=0
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Parenting Tip #32 Thank You!
The music teacher at my children’s school once showed me a piece of paper he had folded up in his wallet. It was a thank you note from one of his students many years ago. He said he kept it so that on the “bad days” it can remind him why it was he became a teacher.
How can we teach gratitude to our children? Probably the best way is to model it for them. Our children need to hear us say thank you. Around the home we can say thank you to children who quickly obey, or do their chores, or are kind to a sibling. They can hear us say it to our husbands. Outside the home they can hear us say it in the grocery store, in the library, at school, Church, everywhere.
Besides saying “thank you”, how else can we teach our children to express gratitude--by writing down our thanks on paper. When expressing thanks, we should be specific. A daughter-in-law wrote me a wonderful note of thanks and listed all the things she had noticed I had done and prepared for their family when they visited us. That meant a lot to me to see that she had noticed and appreciated my efforts.
You can even teach your baby/toddler to say thank you by signing the words. http://www.lifeprint.com/
My grandmother was from Sweden and as a child we liked to say “Tack så mycket”. Want to say thank you in a different language? Check out this site: http://www.drrobynsilverman.com/parenting-tips/teaching-children-to-say-thank-you-in-different-languages/
Go to this link for a wonderful true experience of how a thank you note impacted someone’s life. http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=11adea00a8bf6210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
Share with us ways you have taught your child to express thanks. And, last, but not least-- THANK YOU for reading my blog!
How can we teach gratitude to our children? Probably the best way is to model it for them. Our children need to hear us say thank you. Around the home we can say thank you to children who quickly obey, or do their chores, or are kind to a sibling. They can hear us say it to our husbands. Outside the home they can hear us say it in the grocery store, in the library, at school, Church, everywhere.
Besides saying “thank you”, how else can we teach our children to express gratitude--by writing down our thanks on paper. When expressing thanks, we should be specific. A daughter-in-law wrote me a wonderful note of thanks and listed all the things she had noticed I had done and prepared for their family when they visited us. That meant a lot to me to see that she had noticed and appreciated my efforts.
You can even teach your baby/toddler to say thank you by signing the words. http://www.lifeprint.com/
My grandmother was from Sweden and as a child we liked to say “Tack så mycket”. Want to say thank you in a different language? Check out this site: http://www.drrobynsilverman.com/parenting-tips/teaching-children-to-say-thank-you-in-different-languages/
Go to this link for a wonderful true experience of how a thank you note impacted someone’s life. http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=11adea00a8bf6210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
Share with us ways you have taught your child to express thanks. And, last, but not least-- THANK YOU for reading my blog!
Music Tip #32 Where's Baby? Chant
Here's a fun chant that you can say with your toddler, using a cloth, scarf or small blanket. We said it at our Baby Signing Class using sign language for some of the words.
Where's Baby?
One little baby boy [girl]
Singing through the day.
Two little baby boys[girls]
How they love to play!
Three little baby boys[girls]
Eating with a spoon.
Four little baby boys[girls]
Looking at the moon.
My little baby boy[girl]
Loves to hide from you.
Cover up my baby
'Til Mommy [Daddy]
says Boo!
Use the cloth/blanket during chant to tickle, play, eat and hide baby.
Repeat using the words girl or/and Daddy.
Words to sign: One, two, etc, baby, boy, girl, singing (which is the sign for music),play,eat,moon,mommy,daddy.
From Baby Sing and Sign by Anne Meeker Miller
Here's another fun chant to say with your baby, toddler or young child. Place him on your lap and bounce him as you say:
Two little sausages frying in the pan.
One went POP!
The other went BAM!
On the words Pop and Bam you can bounce your child high, or tip her to the side or whatever! Say the chant several times in a row, getting faster and faster. You can whisper the chant, then say it loud. Use lots of variety and have lots of fun!
Where's Baby?
One little baby boy [girl]
Singing through the day.
Two little baby boys[girls]
How they love to play!
Three little baby boys[girls]
Eating with a spoon.
Four little baby boys[girls]
Looking at the moon.
My little baby boy[girl]
Loves to hide from you.
Cover up my baby
'Til Mommy [Daddy]
says Boo!
Use the cloth/blanket during chant to tickle, play, eat and hide baby.
Repeat using the words girl or/and Daddy.
Words to sign: One, two, etc, baby, boy, girl, singing (which is the sign for music),play,eat,moon,mommy,daddy.
From Baby Sing and Sign by Anne Meeker Miller
Here's another fun chant to say with your baby, toddler or young child. Place him on your lap and bounce him as you say:
Two little sausages frying in the pan.
One went POP!
The other went BAM!
On the words Pop and Bam you can bounce your child high, or tip her to the side or whatever! Say the chant several times in a row, getting faster and faster. You can whisper the chant, then say it loud. Use lots of variety and have lots of fun!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Parenting Tip #31 What Part of No Don't You Understand?
What part of NO, don’t you understand? Have you brushed your teeth and made your bed yet? Have you finished your chores? Piano practicing done yet? Because I said so!
The above questions/statements are common in a mother’s repertoire of everyday conversation. But one week many years ago, I was sick and tired of saying the same thing over and over again to every child. So I got ingenious—I wrote each statement on a piece of construction paper, punched two holes at the top, then threaded a piece of yarn through the holes and wore the stack of papers as a necklace around my neck. Woa-lah! Everything I needed to say all day was right there hanging around my neck. Now instead of wasting my valuable breath, I just went up to a child, whipped through my papers until I found the right saying and held it in front of his eyes, smiling gleefully while he read my question. Then I pointed him in the right direction and went looking for another child.
We had a lot of fun that week. If I didn’t happen to be wearing my “necklace” and an incident or question arose, I ran and quickly put it on my neck and showed my comment without uttering a sound.
Looking back on that week, if I had the chance to do it over again, I would add some pages to my necklace. I would add “Thanks for doing your chores” and “You’re awesome” but most important I would add a page saying, “I love you!” and I’d be sure to put that one on top.
The above questions/statements are common in a mother’s repertoire of everyday conversation. But one week many years ago, I was sick and tired of saying the same thing over and over again to every child. So I got ingenious—I wrote each statement on a piece of construction paper, punched two holes at the top, then threaded a piece of yarn through the holes and wore the stack of papers as a necklace around my neck. Woa-lah! Everything I needed to say all day was right there hanging around my neck. Now instead of wasting my valuable breath, I just went up to a child, whipped through my papers until I found the right saying and held it in front of his eyes, smiling gleefully while he read my question. Then I pointed him in the right direction and went looking for another child.
We had a lot of fun that week. If I didn’t happen to be wearing my “necklace” and an incident or question arose, I ran and quickly put it on my neck and showed my comment without uttering a sound.
Looking back on that week, if I had the chance to do it over again, I would add some pages to my necklace. I would add “Thanks for doing your chores” and “You’re awesome” but most important I would add a page saying, “I love you!” and I’d be sure to put that one on top.
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