Grownups Acting Silly and Having Fun in Class!

Is it okay for the grownups to sing out of tune, dance very silly, or have more fun than their child in class?   Answer:  YES!!

Have you ever been to a Music Together class where all the big people are singing and dancing and acting silly?  You might notice that the children are super engaged when this happens.  It's like MAGIC!!

When I first starting teaching this program many years ago, I was a bit intimidated by having grownups in class.  I had been teaching music in the grade school setting for over a decade (without grownups) with ease, grace and LOTS of silliness!  The idea of doing this in front of the mommies and daddies, at first, seemed terrifying.  What if they thought I was an idiot?  What if they judged me?  Okay, now I know it doesn't matter and it's gotten so much easier.  It helps to realize how very important it is for us to model FUN music-making for our children!   The more you do it; the easier it gets, REALLY!!

Yesterday, I had a lovely conversation with a family in our program that LOVES her current class.  All the grownups are fully engaged in the music, sing loudly, and get very silly.  She shared that she had attended make-up classes that didn't have this same energy or focus . . . the teacher was still super fun, the music was still awesome Music Together music, but she noticed that the big people in class seemed to not be as into the singing, dancing and acting silly.  I think that this can be super scary for many grownups!!  However, the more you do it, the easier it gets, REALLY!

Why is this so crucial to a child's musical development?  Children get their disposition doing things (like making music, cooking, gardening) by seeing their favorite adults doing these activities.  I've hear people say, "if you want to raise a child who like to read, make sure they see you reading."  Music Together teachers say, "if you want to raise a musical child, make sure they see you making music!"

Have fun, sing loud, and be silly!  
♥  Kathy & Music Together in Phoenix

Making Music with My Family

Talk to any Music Together teacher and they will surely say . . . "I have the BEST job in the world!"  Getting to work with families of young children is amazingly rewarding, meaningful, and FUN.  We always share about the importance of making music with your family at home; not just putting on the CDs, but actually MAKING the music yourself. I truly believe this is great for bonding and community and fun!

Even though I really think this is important and good, I've noticed as my children have gotten older making music with them is not as easy.  I recall my daughters as adolescents would often not appreciate family singing or my attempts to get them to join in, even just around the house or in the car, but especially not dancing in the almond butter isle at Trader Joes when a Cure song would come on.  My dog loves singing with me and the chickens definitely tolerate it, my husband is a great sport at going swing dancing, but active music making with the children has been more difficult. 

Now, I have teenagers!  I also have the Music Together bumper magnet that says, "My Family Makes Music Together"; and it's felt like little bit of truth-stretching until recently (even though pets are considered part of our family).  After returning home from a long weekend to New Orleans with this daughter and seeing tremendous amounts of wonderful live music, including an all-girl momma-daughter-grandma jam band, I thought it would be fun to make a band with my friends and daughter.
 
Spiderbaby, our band, started practicing last fall with my good girlfriend, her daughter, my daughter and me; it's been a fun adventure with some ups and downs, and learning to navigate feelings, attitudes, song choices and such.  It was mostly for fun, playing our favorite Toasters/Specials/Cake/Patsy Cline/Johnny Cash songs, but this Friday we had the most crazy-good opportunity to play a real gig (fund raiser for Coalition Against Domestic Violence) at Rips.  It has mostly felt satisfying to make music that I really adore for my own personal enjoyment, but it also clear any guilt about that my bumper-magnet on my car being for REAL:  "My Family Makes Music Together" (and not just the ones with four legs or feathers)!

♪  Kathy

Singing & Dancing Children

The fun, yet frenzied, Monday Night Music Together class: it's a little bit on the smaller side for our typical classes (5 children and with one make up family), but last night's benefit was getting to really see (and hear) the children's music responses!

We have a family "making up" and coming to class for almost the first time.  Mom and Dad marvels at how pre-walking, baby Cale immediately started rocking his little torso with our "Hello Song" while he squealed with happy sounds.  Cale's strong rhythmic response did not stop until the very end of class.  The whole class took notice and we sang a verse on his happy yowl sound - Cale smiling as if to say, "yes, that's MINE!"

A set of adorable soon-to-be 4 year old twin brothers (also with both Mom and Dad) immediately start to moving parts of their bodies to the beat.  J.J. leads the class with his pointer finger as we warm up with "whooo" sounds going higher and higher and then quick down to the ground.  Colton is sitting really close to mom; he's smiling but says "no thanks"; we follow Dad's finger "whew, whew, whew" up and down.

Jack and his Mom are holding hands rocking side to side like a HUGE bell for the "Ding Dong" song; Jack taking the lead!  We switch to a "row boat" motion, still with parents/children holding hands.  I hear mommy voices, daddy voices AND children's voices - it's so awesome! 

Noah is smiling big when it's time to going on our pony rides and bounce on the grownup's laps!  He has wandered across the circle and so I get to take a turn being Noah's "pony" for "Ride O"!  At the end of the song, he initiates the next verse by bouncing his little bottom.  It's time for fast running horses! 

Siobhan, the only 3 year old with a vocabulary of a middle adolescent, is coming in to class and quickly joins in!   The whole group moves up to dancing as we transition into our "Betty Martin" tiptoe song.  Siobhan picks jumping for the next verse!  Mom & Dad all follow along as we all dance & sing, "Hey Siobhan, Jumping, Jumping....".  She is the one that explains the concept of sharing to her newest best-friend, Jack.

Our weekly 45 minutes of JOYFUL family music is most definitely not about children performing; nor do we ever worry about the children "getting it right".  The awesome grownups in class model for their little ones, and typically the babies babble, the toddlers toddle, preschoolers practice and play along.  It's always empowering to acknowledge the musical behaviours we see in class and celebrate these milestones with the families!   We agree that ALL CHILDREN ARE MUSICAL!