Music Together

As the little ones will be starting preschool in the fall, there are some things in our life that are coming to an end. One of them is music together - a child and parent music program that serves infants to age 5. I started with Lorna when she was less than a year and so have been doing these music classes for almost six years straight. There are various collections of songs and rhymes (with CD's) that repeat every three years or so. For the past three years, I'm the one mom who remembers all the songs from the session three years ago.

Music Together has been such a lovely part of my children's first years. And I have to tell you I think my own musical abilities have improved - some of the activities have really challenged me. How wonderful it has been to have the shared experience of joy in music, to actually sit in a circle and make music. Instead I usually have it in the background and tune in to it, only when I transition from one thing to another.

Usually these CD's are the only thing the kids want to listen to in the car. So on my few rare outings by myself, I find myself singing along to "John the Rabbit" before realizing that I can actually listen to some of my own music!

The classes have also been a great socialization and pre-pre-school activity. They learn to listen to the teacher, keep voices low when teacher is talking or singing, share, take turns, have fun with friends, transition between activities and props, participate as well as keep a beat and sing in tune.

So I've graduated and the parting is bittersweet. As I will have kids in school three days a week next year, I am slowly finalizing this chapter of my life. I'll miss the teachers and the weekly ritual in my life - it's actually inspired me to think about learning an instrument!