"The Value of Music" by Kristi Prouty

During the past 6 months or so, I have begun looking for good deals, values, and using coupons for my purchases. I haven’t always done this, but with 2 children at home and only a part-time income, it has sort of become a necessity. It has also become fun for me. I know some of you might think I sound like a nerd, but I get really excited when I keep my grocery bill under budget for the week or find a really great deal on something. I use coupons whenever possible, and I also have some money-saving blogs that I check regularly. I have come to think of it as another job, and an exciting new challenge!

I also look for good values when I’m choosing activities for my children to be involved in. I don’t want to pay a lot of money for something that they won’t like or benefit from. I want to put them into activites that will be fun, rewarding, engaging, and educational. Both of my children have been in Kindermusik classes since they were very little. In fact, I was a Kindermusik mom before I was a Kindermusik teacher. To me, it is a great value. The Our Time class, for example, works out to cost less than $10 per class. But most important are all of the benefits that have come from their Kindermusik classes.

Grant (now 5 years old) started Kindermusik at about 7 months old. He was in full time daycare at the time, and I wanted some special bonding time with him since I was at work all day. He is an extremely busy and active child, and as he has gotten older, I have seen many benefits from his Kindermusik experiences. It has helped him learn to share and wait his turn, develop self-control, listen, and follow directions. Elyse (now 18 months old) has never been in a daycare setting, so I feel that one of her biggest benefits of Kindermusik has been learning to socialize with a group of children her own age. She has also learned new skills like marching and jumping, and she now loves to “clean up” at home…just like we do in class! My children both love the home materials that we get each semester. The books, CDs, and instruments are so much fun, and we get to continue the musical experience at home all week. I have even had some families tell me that they have literally worn out their home CDs from listening to them so much!

Maybe it’s because I grew up with parents who are music teachers, but music has always been a huge part of my life. It’s such a natural thing for children to dance, sing, and play music. Music can bring people together and express feelings in ways that other things cannot. That’s why I believe so much in Kindermusik and the value of music for our children!