You know that really awkward moment when you walk into a room and everyone gets suddenly quiet? You realize in an instant that someone’s been talking about you. Truly, I thought I was past those sorts of encounters(I am, after all, out of high school) but this week I discovered, in the awkward accidental kind of way, that not everyone loves my music. What? I thought everyone loved Ms. Myra….o.k., not everyone, but a lot of people, anyway. :)

Now to be fair, I don’t think they were launching an attack on me personally, they were just annoyed because my 6th grade class is working on a drum ensemble, and, as it turns out, using trash cans as drums can be a little noisy. When I realized what I had walked into, I wanted to bring out my syrupy sweet (albeit slightly sarcastic) side and say, “Wow, did you hear them? Wasn’t that great? I mean, isn’t it terrific how we can use music as a means to express ourselves. These kids (from Children’s Home Society)who have been abused and neglected are learning to speak up for themselves and are finding their voices through music. Wow, don’t you just love that, isn’t it great?” But, I didn’t say that. I let them off the hook and looking back now, I so wish that I hadn’t. I wish that I had been stronger and stood up not only for myself as a teacher, but also for kids who were just being kids.

Music can be noisy. Children can be noisy and the combination of the two, well, that’s not a hard one to figure out. At any given moment during one of my Kindermusik classes or one of my classes at Children’s Home, you may walk in to what appears to be total chaos. But come in closer and you will see children making music, learning patterns, developing gross and fine motor skills. Look closer and you will see children creating and growing and inspiring. Look closer and you will see children being children.

The problem with their annoyance is that it’s not really just about music. It’s about a culture that is uncomfortable with children. It's about a culture that wants children to act like adults. So in addition to standing up for myself, I wish I had stood up for all the parents out there who get dirty looks in a restaurant because your child thinks spaghetti is funny (and, I mean, it is funny!) or, heaven forbid, your 4 year old (and I’m not naming names) laughs too loud and too long during movies. I’m just curious, if we aren’t supposed to take our children to nice restaurants, how are they ever going to learn how to act? I’m all for putting my babies in the nursery, but at what age is it o.k. to let them sit in church and learn how to worship as a family? And don’t get me started on airplane travel. When I’m flying solo with my kiddos, I either get that “Oh PLEASE don’t make me sit next to them” look or I get no look at all; they are like children who think we can’t see them if their eyes are closed. Do they think I’m going to ask them to change a diaper if they accidentally look my way? Am I supposed to keep my children at home for the next 10 years and hope they magically learn how to act in public? Please understand, I’m not one of those moms that lets my children run crazy up and down the halls at the mall (o.k., well sometimes I am, but where else are we supposed to get exercise in the middle of a South Dakota winter?) and I do have high expectations for manners and respectful behavior, but I’m also one of those moms that knows children are not grown-ups and we shouldn’t expect them to act that way.

Next week my group of 6th grade boys will perform their trash can ensemble, “SPEAK UP!” in front of the school. We are going to be loud and it’s going to be fun! I’m going to tell them (simply because I’ve always wanted to say this,) to “Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk.” And the next time someone thinks my music or my children are too loud, well, I’m going to remember my own 6th grade message. I’m going to “SPEAK UP!”