Music Tip - The Rhythm of Life

You've heard the phrase, "variety is the spice of life".  I think it should be changed to "rhythm is the spice of life" and I agree with Maya Angelou, an American Poet who said, "everything has rhythm, everything dances." 

Look at your children and their rhythm and dancing as they play, whine, read, eat and avoid their bedtime.  You probably haven't thought about them having rhythm and dancing during these times, but they do.  Think about a toddler who does the same repetitive activity like putting blocks in a container and dumping them out, over and over again.  Or the child who whines in a steady, nonstopable stream of complaining.

So I say, let's be proactive Moms.  Let's use this inherent rhythm our children have to our advantage.  Here are some examples of things you could do:

You're driving in the car with your children and they're tired and hungry.  Every intersection you come to has a red light.  You suddenly start chanting, "turn green, turn green, turn green" and immediately your children begin chanting with you.  When the light changes you all clap and say yeah!  Then as you approach an intersection with a green light showing you chant, "stay green, stay green, stay green."  Suddenly the atmosphere in your car is one of "funness" and your children are totally distracted from their hunger pains.

The bedtime fight is about to begin.  You start chanting and clapping, "bedtime, bedtime, pj-time, bedtime" as you help your child get into his pajamas.  Then you chant, "bedtime, bedtime, brush your teeth, bedtime", and again start brushing teeth.  Go through your whole bedtime routine, chanting, and doing the actions of getting ready for bed.  Then change your voice to whispering and slowly chant, "sleep time sleep time, close your eyes and sleep time."  Maybe you could continue whispering and stroking your child's face or body softly as you say, "I love you time, I love you time, kiss and hugs, I love you time."  

The house is cluttered with toys, you're fixing dinner, the baby is crying, the older kids are fighting instead of doing their homework and the noise is escalating. Suddenly you chant these words to the rhythm of "We Will Rock You": 

Who will,   who will,    help me? (clap, stomp, stomp, clap)

Who will,   who will,    help me? (clap, stomp, stomp, clap)

Then proceed to give directions in the same rhythm-ee way. 

Your children will probably look at you in disbelief, but the weirdness of  their mother acting like this will be so novel, they might just obey you.

So I say to all you Moms out there:
Try it,   try it,  try it! (clap, stomp, stomp, clap)
Try it,   try it,  try it! (clap, stomp, stomp, clap)

Thanks for reading,

Cathy

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Music Tip - Multi-generational Music Class

For those of you who live in the Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler area, I will be starting my FREE music classes on Tues Aug 28. 

For the past 5 years I have been teaching a class for preschoolers and their moms at The Courtyard Towers.  This is a retirement apartment complex and the residents, whom we call the "grandmas and the grandpas" come to our class and join us in singing, playing instruments, dancing and having fun!
What a great way to mix youth with those a little older and see how each group benefits and bonds through the vehicle of music.


Classes are from 10:00 to 10:45 on Aug 28,  Sept 4,18,  Oct 2, 23, and Nov 6,20.
Please email me if you would like to come.  Space is limited. The Towers are located at 22 N. Robson in Mesa (across the street from the Mesa Youth Museum).








Thanks for reading,
Cathy

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Music Tip - Practice Ideas

I asked my piano moms for ideas they use to successfully get their children to practice during the summer.  Here's some of their responses:

My son says "knowing that I'll get (computer) game-time after I practice and that I won't get bothered about it the rest of the day and that I can play at friends' houses" is what motivates him.

My son seems to practice on his own without much encouragement, but that's probably because he loves it, and because we're in the routine of him doing it right after breakfast, and he knows that play time (or whatever he wants to do) comes AFTER piano practice is finished.

Currently we have a small box on the piano that holds our squeakies. They are small rubber figures. Each song they play well, they pick one and if they complain I get to pick one.  At the end of the lesson we have a squeakie war where we just play make believe war, but the toys don't leave the piano since they get lost if we do! Then after all my men have been killed/ no more than 5 mins. We put them back for the next day. Squeekies came in a 12 pack at Walmart and I will use my Micheals coupon to get them for a better deal. 

I do use TV in the summer since we don't watch it much during the school year, especially on school days.  If I really want to make it worth their while I promise to pop popcorn and we all watch an Andy Griffith together.  

The best thing for us is to pick a time each day and stick to that time.

The boys get 20 minutes of computer time each, every day, but they don't get it until after they do their piano practice. So I don't have to keep telling them to practice because they tell me "I'm going to practice now so I can do my computer time."

We do our piano, reading, learning games (and chores) all in the morning during the summer time. The reward is they can either watch a movie or have video game time in the early afternoon. This structure has worked fairly well for all age groups and we've used it over quite a few summers. :-)

1st- We TRY (the optimal word) to get our music done EARLY in the day. That way there's no drama during the normal late afternoon drama.

2nd-  I do the "Ms. Cathy cup game"  with a sweet tart under one.  This really works WONDERS, and helps me keep my cool.  (Although one time I got so frustrated I picked up the cup and ate it right in front of my child..that showed him....not). [side note: The Ms. Cathy game consists of hiding a sticker under one bell out of 5-6 bells sitting on the piano.  The student plays a tricky section and rings a bell.  If the sticker is not under that bell, the student keeps playing the section and ringing bells until he finally finds the correct bell.  The students LOVE this game]

Practice before breakfast!

                                                    @@@@@@@

Did you notice how most every one mentions practicing early in the day and making it a routine?  I think that is the key--consistency and putting it before play/tv/computer time.

Some kids are starting back to school in a couple of weeks and others of you around the country are still enjoying summer.  No matter what your schedule though, some of the above ideas will continue to work.  If they don't, analyze your new routines, find out the best time for piano practicing, and make it work.  You'll be so glad you did as you raise a brighter, more caring child.

                                                    Well, I didn't say they wouldn't still be silly!

Thanks for reading,
Cathy
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Parenting Tip - Intentionally Teaching your Children

My daughter-in-law, Katie, was on Studio 5 TV in Utah offering some parenting advice.



It was on a theme that is dear to my heart:  intentionally teaching values to your children.  You are your child's parent/teacher/mentor.  Your child is learning every day--learning from your actions, from what you do and say and also from what you don't do or say. 

You can facilitate this learning by naming it.  
"You are learning how to be responsible when I give you chores to do."  

"You are learning how to be accountable and dependable when you get consequences for choosing not to do your chores."

"You are learning how to be a good sport when we play games together and you don't always win."

"You are learning how to be brave and have courage when you go to swimming lessons even though you're afraid."

And to you parents, I say:
"You are learning how to be effective parents when you try and implement new ideas for your family!"

Way to go parents--YOU make a difference.  
You are important to your child!

Thanks for reading,
Cathy


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Parenting Tip - Easy Travel Ideas

I don't know if you're still traveling in the car this summer, but I ran across a few ideas that I wish I would have know when my children were small.

This blog had some really great ideas like an easy-to-sew road trip pillow case that has a pocket to hold activity books, crayons, etc.  Another fun idea was a bucket on a pulley so you can easily pass items back and forth between the front and back seats.

How about quickly stitching up a travel pillow, one that keeps your child's head from tipping uncomfortably to the side?  All you need to do is cut out a rectangle from a piece of fabric.  Fold it in half, lengthwise with right sides together and sew up the long side opposite the fold.  Turn your fabric inside out so the right side is now visible.  Stuff your tube with stuffing and sew up both short ends.  You or your child can decorate the pillow by sewing felt eyes, a nose and a mouth on it, or you can make it look like a snake by adding eyes with a red tongue sticking out, sewed at one end.  What a fun project for an older child to make for herself or her siblings.  And don't forget, boys would love to make this project too.

Picture found here on this blog.

Here is another simple pillow you can make.  Minky fabric would be really soft and fun to make a pillow out of.  Hey, what a great birthday or Christmas present to make for grandchildren or nieces and nephews.

By the way, what do you mothers do to keep your children's car seats from being so hot?  I feel so bad for babies and children who have to sit in their car seats in Arizona when it's so hot.  How about using ziplock bags with a little water or ice in them that you keep in the freezer and grab as you head to the car?  Keep the bags in the car seat while you're in the store.  Even if they're completely melted when you come back, they've kept the car seat a lot cooler than if you hadn't used them.

If you're still traveling this summer, have fun!
Thanks for reading,

Cathy

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Music Tip - Dancing + Working = Smart Mom

Here is another water tip.  Have your children mop the floor for you.  One of my friends even made "mop footsies" for her kids.  They dance and run around and have fun while mopping.  That's what I call dovetailing.  That's what I call a Smart Mom!

For the footsies, she just took wash cloths and quickly sewed elastic around the edges. 

Turn on your favorite music and get dancing! I mean, mopping!  No, I mean dancing!


Thanks for reading,

Cathy

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Parenting Tip - Summer Time is Water Time!

Summer time is hot time, so break out the hoses, water balloons, wading pools and squirt guns. Encourage outside play.  Buy squirt guns, send an attack message to a nearby family and go have some fun.

Have your children paint rocks, fences or paper with water and paint brushes.  Combine different combinations for new fun, such as putting a slide next to a trampoline or go fishing in a wading pool.
How about letting your children wash dishes outside--that is their toy tea sets or let them wash their scooters, bikes, or even the car. Put food coloring in a large pan of water with different sizes of smaller containers and let your child pour the water from one container to another.  Add bubbles.

Please remember that it only takes a couple of seconds for a child to drown.  Watch your children around water; be sure to empty wading pools or buckets and containers of water.  Use sun screen.

Thanks for reading,

Cathy

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Music Tip - Not Ring Around the Rosies, but Ring Around the Finger

I like to help my piano students stay focused when we are working on a problem they are having.  But sometimes merely telling them what to do doesn't sink it into their little minds.  That's when I like to use props that are fun and will help them stay focused.

Rings - I find fun rings and use them for many purposes.  I just found some cute ones at Pretty Party Place that have googly eyes on them. 

Use rings to:
*remind a finger to sharp or flat an upcoming note
*keep correct shape of fingers and thumb (curved or standing up)
*remind a finger that keeps forgetting to play when it should
*practice finger numbers (i.e. thumb=1, pointer=2)
*practice skipping fingers
*practice playing chords 

Bracelets - I looked for several weeks for those slap bracelets that used to be popular.  I just found them at JoAnn's in neon colors. 

Use bracelets to:
*remind wrist to stay up (as opposed to "don't let the wrist fall down"--always say the directions or reminders in a positive statement)
*remind the hand to bring out the melody or perhaps to play softer
*remind arm to relax
*practice a phrase or note pattern

Now how can I use these rings or bracelets to help ME with my problems?  Put rings on every finger so when I open the refrigerator to eat something I'll see them and stop?  Hmmm....I'll have to think on that one.




Thanks for reading,
 Cathy



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Parenting Tip - A hearty laugh

I wrote a blog post last year about the value of laughter (see the side bar and click on laughter).  Recently I’ve been hearing more about different groups embracing and encouraging laughter. Did you know there was a Laughter Yoga class you can take?  They are offered in many different countries around the world.

Here are some quotes about laughter:

I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.  ~Woody Allen

Sometimes I laugh so hard the tears run down my leg.  ~Author Unknown

(Yeah, we loved to do this to my little brother!)

When people are laughing, they're generally not killing each other.  ~Alan Alda

(Hey, a new sibling rivalry technique!)

A hearty laugh gives one a dry cleaning, while a good cry is a wet wash.  ~Puzant Kevork Thomajan

With the fearful strain that is on me night and day, if I did not laugh I should die.  ~Abraham Lincoln

It is bad to suppress laughter.  It goes back down to your hips.  ~Author Unknown

(So that's my problem!)

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.  ~Victor Borge 

Do you know Victor Borge?  He is the funniest musician I have ever watched.  Here’s one of his famous vignettes: 

 So start laughing and if you can't find anything to laugh about, watch some funny You Tube videos of babies laughing--that will get you laughing for sure!

Thanks for reading,

Cathy

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Parenting Tip - Eye dropper science experiments

Someone told me a fun idea where you squeeze an eye dropper full of vinegar onto a pan spread with baking soda.  Guess what happens?   You're right!  You get some great fizzing action.  And if you add food coloring to the vinegar, the fun really begins.

What a great summer boredom buster.  I bought some eye droppers at the grocery store (two to a package for 99 cents) to send to my grandchildren.  But when I asked the pharmacist where the eye droppers were located, she said she could give me a bunch of syringes for free.  What a deal!  Now I'm sending both eye droppers and syringes to my grandchildren with a copy of cool science experiments they can do with their droppers/syringes.

Here's some of the eye dropper science experiments I found online:
1. Do hot water molecules move faster than cold ones?
2. Mixing colors with eye droppers
3. Pictures of the vinegar/baking soda experiment
4. Pennies and water with eye droppers 
5.  Water drop fun
6.  Liquids in motion
7.  More color experiments
8.  Marshmallow/syringe experiment

Have fun experimenting this summer!
 
Thanks for reading,
Cathy

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Parenting Tip - Summer Boredom Busters

Summer is in full swing, and you might be looking for a little change to liven things up around your home.  Since I love to collect ideas, here are some I’ve found that I thought looked interesting and wanted to share with you.

Here’s a website that has lots of child friendly science experiments like making dry ice bubbles, glowing water, and making a tornado in a bottle.  Check it out.

Want to do art with your children?  This site has really easy but impressive art projects.

This site has fun art projects you do with tape-blue painters tape and masking tape.

I love this yarn art idea: It's so simple, yet really colorful.  Thanks to the Szymczak's blog for this picture.

Need some new healthy snack ideas? I know I do!

Here’s a fun muffin tin snack idea: Thanks go to the simplekids.net for the picture.

Did you ever make stilts out of empty cans when you were a child?  My brothers did.  I love this idea.

I'm excited about my next week's post.  It's a collection of ideas using a simple __________ oops, I almost told you.  I want it to be a surprise.  Besides I'm sending all my grandchildren these ideas with the simple _________ .  I thought their mothers might need a summer boredom buster pretty soon.

Thanks for reading,

Cathy

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Music Tip - Summer Practice Ideas

It's summer time and this can be a really great time to catch up on piano practicing or let the whole thing drop with a crash.  I encourage you to use summer as a time to have your child get in some great practice time.  But with vacations and company visiting and just life in general, it can be a real challenge.

How do you keep music a priority?  Make it one of the first things you do each day.  I know, I know, your kids do swimming lessons first thing in the morning.  But is there time to practice first, or do half the practicing before swimming?  How about right after swimming and an energizing snack?

The important thing is to find a consistent time and stick with it.  Right after lunch?  Before their favorite tv show? Dovetail it in with their chores?  Be creative, but be consistent-- if you really want your child to learn and be proficient at playing the piano, consistency is the key.  Otherwise, you might as accept the fact that you're paying for brain tutoring--which is great, but produces no musical skills. 

Be creative and think of some fun ways to plan in practicing this summer. 

**Use popsicle sticks that have the songs to practice or directions for playing them (like play song 4 X).  And of course half the fun of popsicle sticks is that you had to have eaten the popsicles first!

**Make a fun chart to keep track of practicing.
**Have a grab bag with fun cheap rewards that your child can choose from.
**Sit with your child and be a cheerleader--and you're only allowed to give positive comments.
**Keep tv off while the practicing is on.  Siblings read books and do art work.
**Have centers, with practicing being one of the centers.
**Schedule a family recital.
**Skype with grandma and show off new piece learned.
**Video tape child with your camera and show the "before" and "after" piece that is learned.
**Let your child earn privileges for computer time or ipad time or whatever time.
**Take a trip to the music store with your child and buy some easy fun popular piano music

As one of my mothers said to me after reading a handout I had given all my parents, "It sounds like it's up to ME if my child is going to practice and learn to play the piano." YEP.  It's always the mom's job.

Have a fun, productive, musical summer!

Thanks for reading,
Cathy

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Parenting Tip - The Stubborn Child

Here's part of an email I wrote to one of my daughters after she asked for advice.  Maybe it will help someone else as well.


How to make your kids a priority in your life and how to enjoy them and feel love for them.
*  Make a joy journal--no requirements, or rules to do it every week-- just jot down things randomly whenever you see something your children have done to make you smile or feel joyful.  Keep the journal in plain sight in your bedroom so you don't forget to write in it.

*  Pray to feel charity for your children.

*Read about the age group characteristics of your children so you're not frustrated at normal things they do and you can understand why they're acting the way they are.

* Do fun things with them that YOU like to do whether it's reading out loud, making videos, cooking, watching a movie and eating popcorn, singing, etc.

* Read about the 5 kinds of love and figure out what you and they and your husband need--  physical touch, words of appreciation, service, gifts, quality time

Dealing with a stubborn child
* Talk to her about how people communicate differently.  It's okay if it's hard to verbalize her feelings when she's mad, though it's something that needs to be worked on to become a strength later on in her life.  Communicate to her through letters--maybe she'll become a great writer with all her practice in writing letters back to you. 

* Communicate your love through notes to her left here and there.

* Give her a journal that she can write in and you won't read.

* When she's angry give her a direction that can help her express her feelings like, "Write down 2 things about why you're mad," or "Write down 2 things why you don't want to do this....".

*Have her color her feelings.  "Go draw a mean angry picture about how you feel right now".

*What is she interested in?  Notice her and what she does in her spare time.  Then encourage and join her in that activity sometimes.

*Use the rewind idea.  When she's talking disrespectfully, ask her to rewind and say it with a different tone or nicer words.  Ask your kids to help you with your tone of voice.  Many times I've caught myself saying okay words, but my tone of voice was degrading and rude. 

*Be off the wall and fun when a "mood" is threatening.  Talk with a southern accent, or an English prim and proper tone or a Chinese accent.  I do this at school when I'm frustrated with a class and it charms them like nothing else.  Or get in a karate pose and jump and kick all over the room, then when you have her attention, sweetly give directions or restate the problem, then walk away into  another room, letting your actions tell her you are assuming that she is following through on whatever the problem or direction was. (The karate stuff lets you get your frustrations and anger out, too!)

* Hug and kiss your stubborn child and say, "You just need some love and attention."  After smothering her with love and kisses, repeat what she needs to do, and walk away-- allowing her to choose to do it or suffer the natural consequences.

* Maybe your child can only get your attention through being stubborn.  Try giving lots of attention and positive reinforcement and see if the stubbornness subsides.

* Kneel down by your child and offer a prayer out loud. Simply say that you and she are having a frustrating time, but that you love your child so much and want to try and help her.  Ask God to help you understand your daughter.  Mention the things that you love about your daughter--her abilities and cuteness.  Close the prayer, hug your child, then rock her, smooth her hair and wait to see what happens.

Just remember, a stubborn child is hurting somehow.  Pray to find out what the reason is, then try to address the issue.

Good luck!

Thanks for reading,
Cathy

Pictures from The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
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Music Tip - The Piano Guys

I have fallen in love with The Piano Guys.  Have you heard or seen them on you tube?  You HAVE to!  Regardless of what the group's name implies, it is actually a piano player and cello player and they do incredible arrangements of classical music, popular music, religious music, you name it music.

The scenery where they play is unbelievable and the many cellos you see being played is really fun. These are videos you'll want to inspire your children with.  The CDs you'll want to play over and over again.

Listen and enjoy!  Thanks for reading,
Cathy

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Parenting Tip - It's your life. Take Charge

 A family I know recently faced a scary situation. They went to their son's T ball game, but then couldn't find him when the game started. They looked and looked, checked both cars, asked people to help, but could not find their young son anywhere. Finally they called the police. The dad went back to his car one last time and looking in, heard a small voice from under the back seat say, “Dad, I don't want to play T ball.”


Have your children ever told you they don't want to do something? Have you, yourself, ever not wanted to do something? I remember one summer when I was in college and had the most boring job in the world. One day during my lunch break I called my mom to complain and say I wish I could just quit. All I was doing was collating a teacher's papers and it was more of an extra job that could be done later during the year by others than something that was critical for me to do. She told me to go ahead and quit if I wanted to. I couldn't believe my ears—I could quit??!! But what about the other times when she wouldn't let me quit—like when I was tired of taking piano lessons or doing homework?

I gladly quit my job.

I learned a lesson that day. Each situation is different, requiring different decisions and solutions. You can't make blanket assumptions and judge others' decisions based on what you did in a similar situation. Sometimes you have to tow the line and learn dependability and integrity. Sometimes you have to streamline your life and find out what is really important in life—dropping out of things that cause more stress than they're worth.

So, did my friends let their son quit T ball?

I don't know. Maybe he needed to learn things from T ball that they felt were valuable. Maybe they decided he was only 6, and T ball was an extra thing that could be dropped to simplify their life.

But one thing I do know. It's okay to say no to stress and yes to simplifying your life. It's okay to say no to things that others think are essentials and yes to having more time to do what makes you happy.

It's your life. Take charge.

Thanks for reading,
Cathy

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