For the past two years, I’ve had a Friday class of all boys. It’s a class I look forward to all week. I love their energy and their laughter. I love the way they constantly need to move and play out LOUD. I secretly smile as they make inappropriate jokes (usually some kind of bathroom humor that they always find hysterical) and watch with pride as they interact socially...teaching each other, helping each other with their glockenspiels and showing off their vast array of tricks.
Yesterday was their first day in what Kindermusik calls The Young Child 2. Young Child is basically a pre-piano course that starts laying the foundation of rhythm, dynamics and note-reading. It offers the opportunity to explore your emotions through music and to discover how our bodies move and react to music. It introduces composers, musical genres and instrument families. Mostly, though, it’s just fun. One day we might blast off from a rocket and soar through space before landing (crashing) back to Earth. Another week, we’ll play a game of musical baseball (complete with a plastic ball and bat.) As the mom of a very literal 4 ½ year old boy, I know that you better not use the word baseball if sliding into home isn’t going to be a reality! :)
Boys need to move. They need the freedom to explore and be silly and be loud. They also need time to settle their little bodies and focus. Music is the perfect tool to teach boys how to relax and develop impulse control and listening skills.
I’ve had so many mommies tell me they don’t sign up because they know their son won’t sit still and listen. I’m like, “duh!” nobody sits still in Kindermusik! How boring would that be! Kindermusik is a perfect place for boys…the runners, the thinkers, the dancers, the karate “choppers”, the baseball players, the wrestlers, the singers and the soon to be glockenspiel players!
So, back to yesterday...I welcomed “my boys” back for another semester of Kindermusik with one very obvious change. As I closed the door and started to begin, Joey says, very loudly (because, well, he’s a boy!) “Why are those girls in here?” I didn’t understand him at first so Wesley chimed in, “GIRLS! GIRLS! WHY ARE THOSE GIRLS IN HERE??”
And with that, we welcomed two precious girls to the Friday morning mix. After the initial confusion (and near hysteria) at the thought of our little “pink invaders," my easy going boys forgot all about them. I had to laugh, though, because what they don’t know is that this is just the beginning of a lifetime of little pink invaders!
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