I don’t know about you, but I was not a fan of March 2015.
I spilled a full venti Starbucks coffee all over my daughter’s legs.
My husband fell ill with food poisoning.
I came down with laryngitis.
I (unsuccessfully) attempted to potty train my daughter.
I came down with a horrible stomach bug.
My husband brought one of his Man Colds home.
I passed the stomach bug to my husband.
And just when I thought things were returning to normal, I awoke to the sound of my 4-year-old throwing up.
It’s been so much fun around here!
The good news is that we can all stomach food again AND we all got a good night of sleep last night, and while I know cold and flu season is far from over and we’ll be sick again very soon, I’m just relishing in the fact that the sight of my ever-growing ‘to do’ list no longer makes me cry.
Also?
Our music instructor from Yamaha Music School called me yesterday, and after apologizing to her PROFUSELY that my daughter has missed every single lesson this month, she informed me that class is being held this Saturday, despite the fact that it’s the Easter long weekend. I had been so worried we would miss ANOTHER lesson and make an even worse impression than we already have, and while I have been trying to stay on top of my daughter’s piano homework, I’m eager to get her back into the routine of regular music lessons.
Why?
Because she’s learned SO MANY awesome things since we started lessons in September, and I want to continue developing upon those skills as we approach the beginning of kindergarten.
1. LISTENING SKILLS
When we first started music lessons in September, my daughter wasn’t always good at sitting still for the entire class. She was forever talking out of turn and repeating everything the teacher said (thankfully, the other parents find this hilarious), and was more interested in playing with the dials of the keyboard than listening to what was being taught. She still struggles with this sometimes, but I find she’s much more interested in what the teacher is saying, and the words, ‘hands in your lap!’ have become a fabulous tool for me when I need her to give me her undivided attention outside of the classroom!
2. FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS
The first few times the kids were allowed to turn their keyboards on during class, it was as though they were all in a race to see who could make the loudest noise possible. Fortunately, the novelty wore off, and I am amazed to see how well all of the kids, my daughter included, follow the directions the teacher gives during each activity. It truly is amazing how well a group of 3- and 4-year-olds can follow directions when they are engaged!
3. SENSE OF BELONGING
My daughter and I have taken a lot of mom-and-me classes together in the last 4 years, but most have only been 8-10 weeks in length, whereas the the one at Yamaha Music School runs for 9+ months. I was a little weary about the length of the course at first (what if we didn’t like it?), but I find it has created a sense of community among the kids and the parents, especially since many of us live in the same area and bump into each other now and then!
4. SELF-ESTEEM
As my daughter gets better at listening and following directions, and figures out how to do the different activities that are planned each week, the pride that washes over her face is priceless. The things that once seemed so difficult to her are now second nature, and I often catch her practicing her new skills at home when she doesn’t think I’m watching. She’s a bit of a perfectionist (she comes by that naturally), which is why I push her to do her homework each week, and I’m thrilled her efforts are paying off and making her feel more comfortable to test out her new skills when she’s with her friends each week.
5. LOVE FOR MUSIC
I am a HUGE music buff, and while most of my friends spend their afternoons listening to KIDZ BOP while they drive their kids all over the city, I’m fortunate enough that my daughter prefers U2, Coldplay, The Beatles, and pretty much anything else I introduce her to. And thanks to the CDs we received with our music books, as well as the AMAZING pieces our teacher plays on the last Saturday of every month, she now has a love for classical music as well. What parent can argue with that??!
What have music lessons taught YOUR kids?
Disclosure: I am part of the Yamaha Ambassador Campaign with Mom
Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with
this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
