Be open to everything and closed to nothing

I made an interesting observation today when I met with my daughter Savannah's singing teacher for the first time. She was a lovely lady and seemed genuinely pleased with how well my daughter was doing with her lessons. She also pointed out to me that Savannah was very talented and could easily become a very good opera singer. To my daughter that was not a compliment and I could see her wrinkle her nose in disgust at the thought. On the other hand I know that opera singers have amazing voices and train like athletes. They can sing without the need of synthesizers or any other kind of gadgets to make them sound like they are really talented. To have her say that my daughter could do well in this genre of music to me was the ultimate compliment. I tried to explain that to my daughter, but being a teenager and very set in her ways and her likes in music, she just didn't get it.

I think it is so important for parents to introduce a wide variety of music and arts to their children. Aquaint your children with Mozart as well as the Beatles, show them all kinds of art from Monet to Picasso, they will learn an appreciation for art for the sake of art and not because it is the in thing at the time.

Happy Parenting,

Monicka

A message in the lyrics.

Music is something I could never live without. There are times when a song will play and I am transported to another time and place. Music has the power to make us sad or happy or a myriad of other emotions. Think about your first break up and the song that you played over and over again driving your family and friends crazy. For me it was "Love Hurts" by Nazareth because the words discribed the way I was feeling better than I could myself.

Lately a song by Natashia Beddingfield has been getting a lot of airplay. The song is called "Unwritten" and the words make you want to leave your fears and worries behind and be happy to just be you. With this in mind I copied some of the lyrics for anyone who has never had the pleasure of hearing this powerful song. Google Unwritten lyrics or better yet listen to the song the next time it plays and think about YOU, and how you are special and no one in the world will ever be just like you. Play the song for your kids and let them get the message the singer is trying to get you to hear. Heck, I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

Happy Listening.
Monicka
Unwritten
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Natashia Beddingfield

The controversial "Mozart Effect"

The "Mozart Effect" is a term used to describe the positive effect that music - in particular some of Mozart's compositions - may have on learning.

There's a lot of debate and controversy surrounding this topic, and having looked at both sides of the argument I think that people are arguing simply because certain researchers are trying to make hyped-up claims and producing flawed experiments. For instance, one study found that rats learned to complete a maze more rapidly if they had been exposed to Mozart music in the womb and as babies (1). The researches then drew the radical conclusion from this experiment that the music had a direct effect on the structure of the brain. They then strongly advocated using music in schools to improve math grades.

Other writers seek to disprove the effect, and they too come up with compelling negatory evidence. (2)

I prefer to take a much more pragmatic approach! Certainly music can be beneficial in lots of ways. Whether or not it can actually "re-wire" our kids' brains to perform mathematical calculations more easily, there are certainly fun and useful ways we can use music in our lives and the lives of our children to enhance their mood, and we'll be investigating some simple steps you can take in the KidsGoals newsletter very soon!

Cyberhugs,

Cassie

References:
(1) Rauscher, Robinson and Jens (1998)
(2) For example K. M. Steele (2003)

Music as Therapy

My daughter Savannah, who has Asperger’s, has always shown a keen interest in music. Even before she could talk she could sing the Barney song "I Love you" verbatim and in perfect pitch. In fact she would sometimes sing instead of cry when she was injured.

Now that she is a teenager, music is still an integral part of her life. Whether it is listening to her mp3 player or singing her heart out when she is alone in her room with the door closed. On many occasions I will find her in her closet with a blanket pulled over her head listening to music on her headphones, oblivious to the world. Art and music are the two things that help her decompress so it is important that she has that time to herself. I find her much easier to deal with if I give her the space she needs before trying to find out what has stressed her out.


All the best

Monicka