Ave Maria - James Hill

A seemingly innocuous instrument in the hands of an artist can produce something that is truly magical. James Hill performs Ave Maria by Franz Schubert on ukelele. Press pause down below to mute the blog music and enjoy a quiet moment with this beautiful piece.

Pancake Day

Press pause down below so you'll mute the music, and listen with your kids to this little quirky pancake video. We're doing Pancake Day in Our Time right now. Flip it high! Flip it low! Those that come after may sing Heigh Ho! :-) Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend! (I'm starting to crave a pancake.)

To my child

Just for this morning, I am going to smile when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to wear, and smile and say how perfect it is.

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I will not worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count the stars.

Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.

Just for this evening, when I run my fingers thru your hair, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever. I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, and the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.

And when I kiss you goodnight I will hold you a little bit tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask Him for nothing, except one more day.

Do you suffer from the daily dinner dilemma?

Then, maybe you need Bust-a-Meal.

End the senseless agony!

Do you Facebook?

Are you a Kindermusik mom who has a Facebook? I just started one about 3 weeks ago and am having a ball with it. I've been finding friends from eons ago and current ones too, church friends, college friends, etc. It has been a blast catching up with a few people lately. It is one of my favorite things to do: keeping up with friends. Sounds so simple, but hard in this busy life to make and keep time for, although I do try. Enter Facebook. It's a fun way to make connections across the miles, and even with those in our own towns. If you have an account, will you tell me here, email me, or tell me in class? I would love to be added to your friend's list and vice versa! :-)

Benefits Package

A recent study found that repeated enrollment in Kindermusik improves a child's ability to plan, guide, and control their own behavior.

"Children currently enrolled in Kindermusik showed higher levels of self-control than those never enrolled and those previously enrolled. ...This suggests that in order for children to reap the benefit of increased self-control as a result of Kindermusik participation, it is important to have repeated and recent Kindermusik experiences and remain enrolled in the program."

"Four-year-old children who had been exposed to Kindermusik for longer periods of time are better off in terms of self-control—namely a child's ability to plan, guide, and control their own behavior—than similar children with less Kindermusik history. These experiences, stop-go, high-low, fast-slow, short-long, and loud-soft, whereby children's motor behavior is guided by the music, appear to be good exercise for young children's emerging self-regulatory skills."

The study, "The Effects of Kindermusik on Behavioral Self-Regulation in Early Childhood," was conducted in 2005 in the psychology department at George Mason University in Virginia. Results were made available to Kindermusik in May, 2005. The study was conducted by Adam Winsler Ph.D and graduate student Lesley Ducenne in the Department of Psychology at George Mason University. The 15-month study included 91 children between the ages of 3 and 5 who were split into three groups: 23 students currently enrolled in Kindermusik, 19 students previously enrolled in Kindermusik, and 49 students of similar family backgrounds from local preschools who had never had Kindermusik.

The children were observed doing a variety of tasks that required self-control such as slowing down their motor behavior, delaying their gratification, refraining from touching attractive but forbidden toys, quietly whispering, and compliance with instructions to initiate or stop certain behaviors. Parents also completed surveys.The study was supervised by Adam Winsler, Ph.D, Applied Developmental Psychology in the Department of Psychology at George Mason University.

Do you blog?

Are you a Kindermusik mom, past or current, who blogs? Please share your blog address with me so I can add it to the list on the right, "Kindermusik moms who blog". There are two so far, and are so fun! Check it out.

Kindermusik House

We are doing "Great Big House" in Our Time (18 months to 3 1/2 years) right now to demonstrate high and low in music. You will see the real man who sings this song! This was made at Kindermusik HQ in Greensboro, N.C. Go to the bottom of the blog and press pause in the music box so you can enjoy this video. See you in class next week!

They Might Be Giants

I'm so tired, but happy! It has been a very busy first week of fall semester! I don't have much else but this cute video. It is very kid-friendly and they will love it.

Fruit Train