When leading any type of music therapy session or music class, I always make sure that my clients and students aren’t all hyped up when they leave me. Music is a favorite activity for many of my kiddos, so they are usually excited when they walk in the door, but when they walk out, my goal is for them to be calm, cool, and collected.
Making sure children are in the “green zone” when they are finished with music is important for lots of reasons. Transitions are a lot easier when children are calm, because they are in a regulated state. On top of that, teachers, parents and caregivers will be forever grateful to you when their child walks away from music as cool as a cucumber.
Last week, we reached a new milestone in our family: both kids are back together again at the same school, on the same schedule! My daughter started all-day Pre-K and joined my son, who started 1st grade.
If you’re a parent who has juggled multiple drop-offs, pick-ups, and differing schedules at any point in time, then I’m sure you can appreciate my excitement over this new development.
Here in New England, there are single digit days left until back-to-school time. The kiddos’ backpacks are packed, first day of school outfits have been chosen, and every teacher I know is buzzing like a bee, making sure their classrooms are ready for that first day.
As a music therapist, that means lots of scheduling and preparing for the new year and the fall season! Personally, I’ve always felt like the school year is a fresh start, so I’ve taken it upon myself every fall to learn new repertoire, create new visuals, and refresh my musical tool kit.
It’s CRUNCH time, so I couldn’t resist choosing an apple to represent this month’s session plan! Also, there is a song about apples included for September, so it’s doubly fitting ;)
This time of year has always been a chaotic one, as we finalize our new school year schedule, plan our sessions and curricula for the fall, and get back into the swing of things after a laid-back summer. I love the freshness of this season, but I also appreciate that it can be an overwhelming one when you have many classes, groups, and individuals for which to prepare.
There is a very precise 3-step process for achieving success as a working mom during the summer months, so make sure to read and follow these directions very carefully:
Welcome! I’m Rachel Rambach, board-certified music therapist and creator of Listen & Learn Music — educational songs and musical materials for children. I love sharing my work with you, along with my behind-the-scenes creative process, adventures in business ownership, and life as a mom of two little ones.
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