by Beverly Smith, Kindermusik mom When you think of teaching math to your child, you likely think of numbers, addition/subtraction and memorizing facts. As a mother and former elementary teacher with a math endorsement, I’m here to say math is so much more than numbers and memorization. Before technology took over our homes, we played …
Category: Uncategorized
Reflections on Ethiopia – Learning Truly to Embrace “what is.”
by Katie Henderson, Founder/Director of Music Connections Foundation “It is what it is” – a phrase often heard in America. Most times, what we hear behind those words is a spirit of exasperation, frustration, or even resentment toward whatever circumstances have brought us to where we are. The words seem to be a routine attempt …
Read more →“Reflections on Ethiopia – Learning Truly to Embrace “what is.””
All That Really Matters
by Beverly Smith, Kindermusik mom The journey of motherhood has changed me in so many wonderful ways. One of those ways is how I see the world and what really matters. It’s easy to be happy when you realize that all you really need is faith, family, and friendship. All the material things started to …
Making Memories with Mama
by Beverly Smith, Kindermusik mom When I think of the journey through the first year of Kindermusik for my daughter, Isabelle, I can’t help but feel grateful for all the joy it has brought her and my family. I moved to Normal, Illinois, when Isabelle was four months old. In the few short months since …
Process over Product – Considering a New Way of Life
by Katie Henderson, Founder/Director of Music Connections Foundation The “Soggy Doggy” Reminded Me….This Christmas I was definitely NOT going to spend the multiple days and trips up and down my attic ladder needed to lug the 12 + large crates of decorations out when we were going away for the holiday. My life was too …
Read more →“Process over Product – Considering a New Way of Life”
Kids – No Hidden Agenda There!
by Katie Henderson, Founder/Director of Music Connections Foundation As an early childhood educator, one of my “go to” kid sayings comes from the author of a favorite parenting book – Conscious Discipline, by Dr. Becky Baily. “Children are either extending love or calling for it.” Period. End of story. There is no hidden agenda or …
Gratitude with Intention – a Powerful Choice!
In my collection of fall decorations is a plate, gifted me by one of my dearest friends, embossed with this saying: “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” It was given to me at a time when I really needed to hear just that – you know, one of those messages from above – but …
Keep Calm – Pass it On
This quote from L. R. Knost, a child development researcher and author, has crossed my path numerous times in the past year and it struck a chord in me from the first. Had I seen this 10 years ago when I was deep in the little one/big emotion drama, I would have printed posters of …
Advice to a Parent – Say YES more often!
by Katie Henderson, Founder/Director of Music Connections Foundation, Inc. Last night in my final Kindermusik summer class, “Zoo Train,” my little cuties were heavily “into” exploring every single thing in our classroom other than all the things I had intended for us to explore: a tiny, random little bucket hung on the wall just above …
Like the Waves upon the Oceans & Shells Upon the Shore
Today I am feeling nostalgic. Because circumstances were such that I have had to miss teaching my Kindermusik classes for TWO weeks in a row – the first time in 22 years that I can recall that happening – I am missing my students! After what was to be a quick trip to my hometown …
Read more →“Like the Waves upon the Oceans & Shells Upon the Shore”