Right around this time back in 2008, I hit “publish” on my very first blog post here at Listen & Learn Music. I was a brand new, bright-eyed music therapist, eager to share the songs I was writing and hoping to connect with other new professionals like myself.
One of the most inspiring aspects of working with children is witnessing their learning and growth. At the beginning of the year, it’s important to assess what my students know, and where extra support would be beneficial. These fun and goal-oriented songs address basic academic skills that are essential for all little ones to learn!
This week’s topic was a no-brainer for two moms who also work with school-aged children. It’s back to school time, which comes with a whole lot of excitement, overwhelm, challenges, and planning.
The day we’ve been anticipating all summer — some more eagerly than others — finally arrived: my son Parker’s first day of kindergarten.
This past week as we’ve been preparing for my son’s first day of kindergarten, I can’t help but think about how the past 5 years have flown by so quickly. I remember scrolling through Facebook and seeing all the first day of school photos, feeling sad for those parents while squeezing my own baby tight.
I never fully appreciated the proverb “necessity is the mother of invention” until I became a business owner. It didn’t take long to realize that there are busy seasons in a private practice and teaching studio, and then there are slow seasons. Very, very slow seasons.
When my husband Zach and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary last summer, we started talking about how much fun it would be to take a big vacation, just the two of us, for our 10th. And since he is an amazing planner and I love surprises, we decided he would keep our destination a secret until we boarded the plane.
The new school year is almost upon us, and for school-aged children, that means new classes, new friends, a fresh set of pencils, and for many, lots of anxiety around changing schedules and routines!
Music has a unique way of helping us remember important information (like the ABCs) while also bringing us comfort or joy (through a favorite song or a lullaby). Listen & Learn Music has many songs featuring a “back to school” theme with lyrics that can help children ease into the new school year.
In Episode 70, Jaime and I are chatting all about the evolution of our musical lives: where we got our start as musicians, how we made music before becoming music therapists and before having kids, and how things have changed throughout the years since.
As a kid, I always looked forward to the first day of school! I would have my new supplies packed perfectly into my backpack and would choose my outfit weeks before the big day.
The most nerve-wracking part of every first day of school was finding out which of my friends would be in my class. Would my best friend be by my side? What if none of my friends were in my class? For so many kiddos, making new friends is a daunting task!
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