Pouring into your life

Fingers in the soil

Tend to the blooms

Read a book

Maybe two.

New recipes

Try a new haircut

Tea for two

Catching up on conversation

Kindermusik conference

25th anniversary celebration with my Greg

Seattle and Alaska

Enjoying the richness of relationship

Reflection

Seek inspiration

Look for beauty

Long walks

Pray

Just              Be

Ahhhhh

Let the summer begin.

The filling of a heart is a journey to be savoured

Joy

Calm

Peace

Love

As I was watching a friend's children the other day, I was reminded that young mothers have a very demanding job.  Now it certainly isn't a relection on her children - we had a great time.  But I had forgotten just how moment to moment life is for mothers of young children.  Just looking at the above list, I remembered that most of the items on it are just a young mother's fantasy...when my own were little, the mere idea of going for coffee with a friend for a couple of hours was enough to carry me through a challenging day of cooking and tidying, reading and referree-ing, watching and carrying.  

As children get older, the workload gets lighter.  Growing independence in children means Mom gets more time for personal pursuits and pleasures.  But it's essential to have some space to feed into your own reserves along the way.  I'm sure you've heard it said that you can only give out what you have received yourself.

And it can be just those little things

a leisurely hour to buy a new lip colour

a chapter in a favorite book

an afternoon with pictures and scrapbooking

that can make all the difference in how full your storehouse is.  

"I can do it"

Take stickers, paper plates, tape, and fruit loops.

Add one eager-to-participate child.

And you get growing self confidence!

One of the favourite sayings of my young children, and yours as well, has always been 

"Watch Me!!"

Children want to be able to learn to tie their shoes, help clean up, make their own crafts, spin their own hoops, and catch a ball.  Providing children with opportunities to accomplish something with a side helping of mom or dad (or a teacher)  to cheer them on is a perfect way to enhance a growing "can-do" attitude!

It's not just that they want to do well.  They want us to watch them do well, and tell them so!!

It's not just about spending time together.  It's not just about monitoring their activities.  This can be a wonderful opportunity to not only build skills, but transform a young child into a young man or young woman who knows they are capable, and want to contribute their talents to a world in need of them. And that can change everything!

So shine with pride, my special friends!  You are loved! You are talented!  You are amazing!!  

Your talent and art bring joy to my heart, and your helping hands make our world better.

And parents - well done!  Your shining faces towards your children say loud and clear that your love and pride is calling forth their best selves : )

Playdough possibilities

A very long time ago I came across the best playdough recipe I've ever found.
Some recipes are too sticky.
Some are too grainy.
Some dry out too quickly.

This one is just right, and is the one we use in this week's Zoo Train craft.
If you keep it in a plastic bag when you are done with it, it keeps soft and useable for as long as you like.

Playdough

2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
2 tbsp. cream of tartar (helps to keep it from feeling "grainy")
2 tbsp. cooking oil
2 cups water
food colouring
2 pkg. Koolaid (completely optional - provides a scent, but also increases the likelihood your child will want to eat the playdough)

Mix all ingredients together in a large pot.  Cook on medium heat until it starts to feel stiff and change consistency.  Remove from heat and knead on waxed paper for a few seconds.
The cooking part only takes about 2 or 3 minutes.  Hint:  If you are using the food colouring and/or Koolaid, mix it in with the water before combining with the wet ingredients.  The color mixes in more consistently.

This playdough is great for party favours or rainy afternoon activities.

Animal sounds extraordinaire!

One of my new favourite books is The Book of Awesome, by Neil Pasricha.  It's a book based on the author's blog about everyday kinds of awesome things...like

When the guy at the border doesn't ask any questions

or

Coming home after a long day to the smell of someone cooking dinner.

It's a smile-fest in a book binding.

So when I came across this little video today, in the spirit of everyday awesomeness I wanted to share.  It's Kindermusik homemade animal sounds in a whole new dimension!!!

http://video.ca.msn.com/watch/video/girl-makes-spot-on-animal-sounds/1gloelkce?cpkey=f484b07d-019a-4cc3-bf0a-d77a7a47e1d4%7C%7C%7C

Enjoy!  I'd say we have some practising to do before our sounds can compete with this talent.

Summer Playdates!

One of the first questions of summer holidays in my home is "What are we going to do today?"  While  summer is a great time to spend time with your children in meaningful, musical, and active adventures, it can be a challenge to come up with fresh ideas for your children.  

Now there is a Kindermusik Playdate opportunity in your Summer!    

July 19 and 21 

and 

August 16 and 18

Kindermusik Stepping Stones will be having a class from 10:00 to 11:30 each morning so your family can reconnect with familiar Kindermusik friends, and bring in your not-yet-enrolled friends to have a taste of the Kindermusik you have come to LOVE!

Instruments, singing, dancing, stories, crafts, and a snack...all with an extended free play with the balls, toys and tunnel...and friends.

Don't delay in registering.  There are very limited spaces available for these playdates.

Best of all...if you bring a not-yet-enrolled friend to try out Kindermusik...you get in for half price! 

Interested?  Contact me at  kmsteppingstones@shaw.ca

Can I have this dance?

Scooping up your baby and dancing around the living room can be one of life's little pleasures.  I've long since forgotten how many times I did that as a young mother, but I can tell you that dancing with my children happened a lot.  

We'd put on our favourite CD's and
spin and twirl,
put our right hand in and put our right hand out,
dip and sway,
groove to the silly ones,
dance slowly to the restful ones.

Fast forward a few years and the children are in elementary school and have stopped dancing with mom, but my oldest could still be seen dancing and singing around the house on his own.  My daughter was well into her dancing endeavours with tap, jazz, and ballet lessons.  But my middle son has abandoned dancing in favour of other activities - like comic books, and playing with friends.

This week was a big occasion in our house - my middle son, Colson, had his high school graduation.  Monday was the commencement and Friday was the dinner.  How amazing it is to see your "babies" grow up and become ready for taking on the adventure of adulthood.  At the dinner last night, my son's former grade two teacher was there with her own graduate and we had a few moments to reminisce about all those years ago.

I had mentioned to my son earlier in the week that there is always a mother/son or father/daughter dance at the grad, and I was hoping to dance with him.  I could tell he was a little (OK, quite a lot) uncomfortable with the idea as this would involve letting down his don't-touch-me "forcefield".  But I just mentioned it the one time.  As we were enjoying the dinner and the various toasts and awards, I was wondering about the upcoming moment...

Of course, even though the grads come with their parents, they do roam around and connect with their friends at other tables.  As the MC was announcing that the parent/grad dance was about to begin I saw that  my son was  - no where to be seen.  So I got out my phone to text him - and as I looked up for a moment -  there he was - holding out his hand to me to come dance.


There are moments 
that stay with a mother for the rest of her life.


This will be one of them

Connecting with crafts

Crafts, as you know, are a favourite activity in summer camp!!  For the "On the Road" class, I like to wait until the parents join us to do the craft so that children have the individual attention needed to work on the craft, and also, because Mom or Dad can become the "cheering section" as a project is completed.

Last Friday we were making homemade puzzles and I was showing the families how to fill the page with a big drawing so that when you cut it up you have part of the picture on each piece.  As the children chose markers and began their pictures I got out my camera and started to photograph the event - since the children have individual attention from a parent, I can be a little more free for such things.

As I was taking pictures, I noticed that one of the boys was making a picture just like mine - same colours, same items in the picture, etc.

I told Braden that it would be fun to take a picture of our puzzles together,and he wanted to know if he could take it - "well, sure you can!"  I could tell he was quite pleased with being acknowledged, and when I mentioned that he should remember to take his puzzle home with him, he wanted to know if he could take mine home, too.  Big smile!

Well, how easy can it be to make a young boy's day!?




I love when children copy what I do...whether they copy my picture in class, or go home and pretend to have Kindermusik class and they take the role of "Teacher Heather".  It means that they are associating with me - and developmentally speaking - I am the music to them.  Case in point - one little girl (Greta) , I found out this morning, calls me either "Mrs Wiebe" or "Class"  (big smile).

It was so heart-warming to see moms and children sitting close, working on their puzzles and Giraffes this week. These little moments are the big moments in life - moments when children are made to feel important and creative and contributors to a more beautiful life!

My fingerprints are all over this project!

You've got the moves!

Baby Break dancing - AWESOME!!

One of the most important ways of increasing your child's learning potential is to use your body!  

Swaying your arms down low like an elephant trunk, 

Driving a pretend car - including lots of honking and starting and stopping

Rocking back and forth in a blanket hammock,

Stretching our bodies out long on the floor like a lion,

Dancing with our Kindermusik community.

All of these examples have been taken from our Kindermusik curriculum this week and have encouraged growth in 

Community connectedness

Vestibular stimulation (that sense that helps us feel oriented as we move around)

Inhibitory control

Imagination

Flexibility

Co-ordination of movement between body parts

Musical interpretation - artistic expression

Just to name a few!

And don't forget that when you add actions to a song it allows your brain remember the song much more easily!    So as you are breaking open your new summer camp CD's this summer, or enjoying your music from earlier semesters, don't forget the best part - active participation!  And if you've forgotten the dance moves from class - no worries.  Just make-up your own.  A little family hand holding, circling around, and going in and out, goes a very long way!

Here We Go!

It's been two weeks since I've seen most Kindermusik families and I must say...I've missed you!  I've been busy getting things ready for Summer Camp, and tomorrow will be more of the same - but the posters are up.  The music has been loaded onto my ipod.  And the crafts and snacks are being prepared.  So much cutting and sorting and organizing to do. (Big smile - I know how much your children are going to LOVE our 5 week adventure!!)

We are going to give you so many new songs and activities to enjoy, both at home and

You'll be singing and laughing, crafting and pretending, and enjoying life through the wonder of making music together in child-friendly ways.

Of course, we'll meet animals along the way

as we head out on the

There will be lots of friendly faces to guide and greet!  

We've got 

ahead!  Busy days of discovery!  Busy days of learning.  Busy and eager days of "Is it a Kindermusik Day today, Mom?"


Welcome aboard!  Oh...one more thing!  Good News!  There is still room for a few more.  Don't miss out!  Summer Camps are my favourite!

Mother/daughter moments

There are some moments in a mother's life that are special.
Buying your baby's first outfit.
Hearing your baby say "Mama" for the first time.
Watching your child go to their first unparented class.
Your baby's first pair of shoes...

Of course, we all have a list a mile long, with a few variations along the way for individual family preferences.  But yesterday I had another one of my moments.

I have always been a "girly" girl.  If I could, I would wear a dress just about everyday of my life.  I love make-up and perfume and getting my hair and nails done.  So when my girl turned out to a "girly girl" too, it has been a LOT of fun for us.  From the time Olivia was very young, we would do our nails, wear dresses, and do "girly" stuff.  One of our favourite things to do was to check out the perfume counters at The Bay everytime we were at Southgate, usually coming home with a sample or two.

My niece is getting married next weekend and we were looking at what we had to wear and Olivia wanted to get some new shoes.  And...she wanted some shoes with high heels.  I haven't been opposed to her wearing higher heels, but she's always chosen flats or low heels.  As we looked at the various shoe stores I was admiring my now-taller-than-me daughter trying on the "big girl shoes".  My 5' 5" daughter was now more like 5' 9" and looking about two years older.  Although the salesgirl was trying to talk us into the much more expensive Michael Kors brand, we opted for the more modestly priced (and in my opinion, better looking) shoes.  Yes, mothers, your children will also, in all likelihood, develop an affection for all things name brand - but that's another story : )

As she brought those shoes home and tried them on with several outfits at home, I was thinking about how she had just seen me do the same thing that morning - trying on my new dress for the wedding with the various shoes I have at home.  Like mother, like daughter.

Finding things to celebrate about your similarities with your child is a wonderful thing.  Maybe you don't share the same fashion sense, but maybe you both love the outdoors.  Maybe you both love to cook together.  Maybe you both love hockey.  This Mother's Day, enjoy the beauty that is your relationship with your child.

Evidence of one of our "girly" days!