This (several years old) photo is a pretty accurate depiction of how I often feel during the summer: hot, tired, and conquered by my kids. That’s never been more true than this summer in particular.
Their completely packed schedules — tennis, swim team, art class, yoga camp, tutoring — are a product of my own making; in my excitement to resume mostly normal life, I forgot that I should also probably factor in some recovery time.
We’ve been in “go mode” since school ended in May, but professionally, I’ve felt pretty stagnant. And while I’ve only been a parent for 8 years, I’ve been experiencing this summer slump every year since I first started my career in 2007. Maybe it’s because I work mostly with children, and these summer months are typically lighter in terms of my workload, but I still have businesses to run and tasks to be completed.
As is typical for me during the summer, the essential things always get done. And while I usually ride out this slump and get back at it when fall comes knocking, this time around had me feeling restless. I needed…a spark.
What a difference a year makes! At this time last year, my colleagues and I were getting ready to reopen Music Therapy Connections — with many, many COVID-19 limitations and precautions in place. Now as we head into July 2021, we’re getting ready to lift almost all of those restrictions and return to — dare I say it? — very nearly normal.
I’m MOST excited about finally resuming our early childhood and preschool music classes next week. It’s going to feel so good to have young children and their families back in the building, making music together.
I’m also excited about the round-up of songs I’ve put together for July and will get to use in those classes. It’s a nice mix of addressing important life skills, instrument/prop use, and just plain fun. I hope you enjoy next month’s session plan as well!
Every day of this summer so far, I’ve woken up with grand plans to update the blog, send out an email newsletter, or accomplish some other needle-moving task related to Listen & Learn Music. And every day, my grand plans have been derailed —- either by more pressing work-related duties or by my children, for whom I am the primary caretaker during the summer months.
But today is the day I finally get to cross at least one item off that list! Here’s a quick roundup of new songs you can add to your summer repertoire (bonus: they are quick to learn and fun to sing).
I know time has been weird this year, but it’s blowing my mind that summer is almost here. My kids are already out of school, and we’re in birthday season at my house — 3 out of 4 of us (including me!) are celebrating within a two-week time span.
The excitement doesn’t end there, though. At Music Therapy Connections, we are gearing up for our first session of in-person music classes and groups since the pandemic started. We’ve restored our waiting room, which has been bare since March 2020, and will once again be welcoming families into the building. It’s going to be a wonderful summer!
In true Midwest fashion, this March has already brought its fair share of both “lion” and “lamb” days — I’ve worn shorts, winter hats, tank tops, and boots all within a two-week time span. The official start of spring is less than a week away, and this season of rebirth holds so much more promise than ever before.
We’re all ready to get back to our regular lives, but after this tumultuous year, my guess is that post-COVID life will feel brand new in the best possible way. What are your hopes for this coming spring, summer, and beyond?
As I sat down to write this blog post, I realized that the last in-person session plan I created was in March of 2020…almost an entire year ago. 11 months have crawled/flown by (does it feel that way to you, too?), and I’m still waiting to reunite with my groups face-to-face.
The good news is that almost all of our music therapy team is either halfway or fully vaccinated against COVID-19 — I get my second dose on the 19th — which brings us that much closer to fully reopening our studio. I have high hopes for the coming spring and summer!
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.
New Book + 6 CMTE Course!
This is the book + course that will help you shape your music therapy career in order to make more money and live your ideal lifestyle. Details here.
Session Plans
Next month’s music therapy sessions, early childhood groups, or classroom music…planned for you in advance.
Free Download
Click the image below for this free resource and song collection!
