Conversing with a baby.

There is nothing more exciting to me than seeing Joy on the faces of small children. When you look at them in an excited state you can't help but wonder, "do I remember how that felt?" and "Did I think that an egg shaker was that cool?" When joy comes out of a new experience and a new adventure, I can't help but smile, and think, "Yes -this is why I do what I do!"

So my underlying philosophy is now: Smile = Joy

I'm thinking of the Joy that came from a little girl, not even a year old, in one of my classes. At the beginning of class she was a little shy and reserved due to being in a stranger's house, with the stranger singing and shaking instruments and waving scarves, and ...you get the picture! However after some singing, rocking, instrument shaking, and scarf waving, she loudly proclaimed, "DAH! Dah dah dah!" in such a way that I said (even before thinking), "Really? I'm not sure how to do that." She smiled and shook her egg shaker with the air of someone who knew exactly what she was doing. As the class progressed, the little girl continued to tell me her opinion. At one point in time she let out a huge "Ugh!" and reached for Julie-Anna (the Cabbage Patch doll I use for demonstrating). Once touching the doll, she continued to shake her egg shaker and say, "du da da da du...." in the most interested sort of way. I was amazed that such a little kiddo could have such attention and determination.

You're probably wondering where music comes into all of this? Well, here it is! Baby loves to look at you -you smell like "home", you feel like "home", and you sound like "home". Watching this little one be consumed by parent's love in a musical setting is taking the experience to it's outer bounds. You are giving your child love (YAY!), you are teaching them language (YAY!), and you are encouraging them, in the best ways possible, to LOVE music AND learning (YAY! and YAY!)

Who could ask for anything better!...?


Musically yours,

Busy B