How To Harness Your Child's Musical Interests

 Music is beautiful, simply put. Music has a way of getting people to express their emotions in a beautiful way; it’s ideal for conveying and getting others to feel that exact feeling. Without any words whatsoever, you can still convey the exact feeling you want. Whether it’s love, sorrow, melancholy, or beyond, music has a way of bringing out this feeling. 

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But music goes further than this; it’s a beautiful form of art. It gets the body moving, it sets the atmosphere in the space, and it’s a great hobby that brings so much fulfillment. As you can see, the influence of music plays a massive role in everyone. So how can you get your little one to fall in love with this interest? 

Start With Exposing Them To Music

One of the best ways to foster a love for music in your child is to expose them to music of all kinds. This can be as simple as playing the radio in your car or playing music from other cultures at home. When kids are exposed to different rhythms, meters, and tonalities from around the world, it expands their musical vocabulary. Even infants recognize the melody of songs long before they understand the words. Singing to them or playing quiet background music at nap and bedtime can connect your little ones to their musical heritage.

As children get older, they will learn from the music they listen to and their parents' tastes. Exposing them to a variety of music can help them shape their opinions on what music should sound like and where their interests will lie. Then, they can find a way to incorporate music into their lives throughout adulthood. This can include anything from watching a concert to dancing to singing along to their favorite song.

Make Music With Them

From fond memories to having fun, why not make some noise with them? These can even include playing some ukulele songs for them or getting them to learn together. Playing simple songs, like "Wheels on the Bus" or "Twinkle, Twinkle," with your child is a great way to introduce children to music. The repetition of lyrics and melody helps children learn and memorize words, and simple tunes have a happy feeling that can easily complement any theme. When they get older, just play some music for them, or let them just explore. Overall, exposure and these positive nudges will help a lot.

Take Them To Music Events

Whether they play the drums, guitar, piano, or violin, kids who are exposed to live music have an easier time sustaining their interest. It's a big part of what makes them feel like they're not alone in their passion and that someone else believes in them, too. Taking them to see their favorite musicians in concert is a powerful way of showing that you support their musical pursuits. Often, they'll be even more motivated to play at home after having experienced the live performance firsthand. There are plenty of music events from orchestras, rock music, or even small-scale music festivals for the community. 

Sunrise, Sunset

Everyone has dreams of what they would like their life to be when they are young. At 5, I was going to be a princess like Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. At 13, I was going to be a ballerina traveling the world to dance. At 16, I was going to be a psychologist helping all kinds of people navigate this life and healing traumas wherever I went. At 18, I began writing The Great American Novel (or so I thought at the time). 

At 20, I had my first child and all I wanted to do was be the perfect mom to my tiny little boy and my entire life changed.

Accurate portrayal of parenthood. 

As any parent will tell you, parenting is the hardest yet most rewarding job you will ever have. I took my new responsibility very seriously and enjoyed every single second of it. No, it wasn't cookie cutter perfect all of the time but I absolutely tried the best I could to be the best mom in the entire universe. I think every parent has those moments where they wish they could go back in time and change or fix something, and I am no different. My children are both in their 20s now and I miss them both to pieces and to death every day.

As it turns out, I get the chance to do it all over again because my oldest, my son, is going to be a first time dad in April!

Because of this, I have been on the hunt for all kinds of new baby stuff. And, as I mentioned before, I am absolutely amazed at everything they have for babies now! Just the sonogram technology alone is incredible! I can actually make out the baby's features, something that I definitely couldn't do with my own sonogram pictures! I am learning so much and finding so many cool things. One of the best things I have found is the Amazing Baby Swaddle Sack!

Designed by Lynette Damir, a nurse and mom of two, the Amazing Baby Swaddle Sack is a new product found exclusively on Amazon. As most of you are probably aware, swaddling is very important for your baby as it keeps them warm, snug and from being awakened by their own startle reflex. Swaddling is another way of telling your baby that she is safe. The Swaddle Sack comes in three stages: Stage 1 is the Swaddle Sack With Wrap for babies 0 - 3 months, Stage 2 is the Transitional Swaddle Sack for ages 3 to 6 months, and Stage 3 is zzZipMe Sack for ages 6 to 18 months. I got the Transitional Swaddle Sack and it is ADORABLE and so soft! 

It is designed perfectly for your infant: there are fold over mitten cuffs that can be worn open or closed so your baby can self soothe if she needs to. The round sack and arms up design helps your baby sleep better and allows for leg support and movement. It's made of soft and stretchy breathable cotton and has a 2-way zipper so it's easy to wrap the baby or unwrap the baby for diaper changes, or whatever baby might need. It is one of the new products I have found that I am truly excited about and wish I had when my own were tiny!

I cannot WAIT to use this for my sweet little granddaughter on the way. To say that she is going to be even more spoiled than my own children is the understatement of the century! I mean, that's just what grandparents are supposed to do, right?

What baby items are a must have for you?

Holiday Gift Guide - Part 4 - Security Camera

It's another useful gift today, and it's a great one! The Trivision Cloud Cam Indoor Security Camera! 


I am a soon-to-be first time grandma so I have been looking into all kinds of new and exciting stuff they have out there for little ones. Back when I had my babies, the only baby monitors available were the kind that you could only listen through a somewhat walkie-talkie type contraption. These days they have EVERYTHING for kids! It's amazing to me. Even the sonogram technology is incredible. In mine, you could maaayyybee make out a vague shape of a baby, but with the new technology, you can make out the baby's face and everything! I cried the first time I saw my sweet little grandbaby girl's face. I could only dream of that technology 22 years ago!

Baby monitors now have become so advanced, I can barely believe it. In my wanderings on my favorite place to shop, Amazon, I found an indoor security camera that works as a baby monitor, pet monitor, basically anything in your home that you would like to monitor! 

The Trivision Cloud Camera works through your PC or an app for your android or Iphone. It has a 120° wide angle lens with an advanced motion sensor so you can detect motion around corners and blind spots. You are instantly notified through your app if any motion is detected with instant playback video and audio. With the audio capabilities, you can even speak to the baby through the camera! It backs up to the cloud so you don't lose important footage, or you can choose a microSD memory card for local backup!

I'm pretty excited about this one! I'm almost tempted to keep it for myself for when the baby visits, but it's going to my son and lovely daughter-in-law. I hope they love it!

Do you use an indoor security camera for your pets or as a baby monitor? What do you think about this awesome advance in technology?

Don't forget to check out the rest of the gift guide: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3!

8 Ways A Writing Career Benefits Your Kids

Today, I am honored to bring you a guest post from Samara over at TinyFry! Samara Kamenecka is a Virtual Assistant specializing in SEO and writing, based in Madrid. When she’s not chained to her computer, she likes to explore the city with her boyfriend, their two kids, and their dog. You can find her blogging about everything from pregnancy tips to parenting hacks over at Tiny Fry. 

8 Ways A Writing Career Benefits Your Kids

Some people think that writing is an easy way to make a living working from home, but if it was easy everyone would do it. The truth is that making a living from writing can be challenging, but if you’re good at it, many rewards come along with writing as a career. My favorite part of being able to work from home is how it benefits my kids.

       No Daycare

Not having to pay a daycare provider is two benefits in one. First of all, daycare is not cheap, and many parents seem to work just to pay for someone else to care for their kid(s). Secondly, you know exactly who is raising your child, and you never have to worry about what the daycare provider may or may not be teaching them.

 Flexible Schedule

Having a flexible schedule is the best benefit for you and your kids. There are not many people in this world who have the flexibility to pick up and drop off their kids from school, attend mid-day school events, and still be around to have family dinner and help with homework at night. It also doesn’t force you into a panic whenever your kid has a sick day, or the daycare cancels out of nowhere.

      

Grow Together

Working as a writer takes a lot of hard work and growth which can get a bit  frustrating at times, especially when there are little ones tugging at your pant legs while you’re trying to focus. Though some days can be tough, it allows you and your kids to grow together and understand each other better. You will both probably learn lessons in patience and time management while building a stronger bond.

       They See a Role Model

A lot of kids don’t understand the importance of work because they simply don’t see it. By seeing you working to provide for your family you are setting a good example for work ethic and helping them understand an important part of life as an adult. As a work from home mom, you are also setting the example that women are an equally important part of the workforce as men.

      No Commute

Some people spend two hours or more of their day commuting to and from work. Not having to commute is a benefit for anyone who works from home, but especially parents who get to spend that extra time with their kids. It also saves money and the environment, which is yet another benefit to your children.

       Financial Contributions

Some parents decide to start writing after they have decided to stay at home. So hopefully, that income can be used in surplus to the budget to do things like save for a child’s education or enroll them in enrichment classes. The money could even be used for a vacation potentially, and since you’re a writer, you won’t have to worry about taking time off!

       A Safe and Clean Home

One of my favorite benefits of being a writing mom is that I can take a break from work to clean a room or throw in a load of laundry. Being able to care for the home while working helps keep a strong work/life balance and also keeps my home cleaner and safer for my kids to play.

      Mental Wellbeing

This is perhaps the subtlest benefit for children with work at home parents. Just knowing that there is going to be someone home to talk to when they need it offers confidence and lowers stress. Being around all the time to offer a hug for a scraped knee or an emotional bruise goes a long way in the happiness of a kid. I can’t tell you how many times my kids have come and sat by me in silence while I worked just to be around me. Being this available builds an unbreakable bond between parent and child that not every parent gets to experience.

If you are choosing to pull double duty as a parent and a writer, make sure you are prepared with everything you’ll need to keep your babies and kids safe and occupied. Writing from home benefits your kids in many ways, but it is still a job and one that can get a little tricky to balance if you’re not careful. At the end of the day, it is one of the best careers in the world to have when it comes to the perfect balance between finance and family.

Time Marches On..

Having grown up children, one who is living on his own, has been....different.

I say different because I still feel like mom, I still talk like mom, I still act like mom, but I'm not cleaning noses, or yelling about cleaning rooms, or taking inedible things out of toddlers' hands.

Those are the things I used to fret over. Some accident or random thing was going to happen to my children so I had to watch them every single second of every single day. 

The things I fret over today, however, are very different. I still fear accidents and randoms, but mostly it's I hope they're wearing their seatbelt, I hope work/school went ok, are they eating enough? Is everything ok in their personal life? Are they struggling quietly and privately (just like good ole mom) and too proud to tell me? 

And on..and on...and on....

You never really stop being mom, it just changes. 

And now, with my second child about to free fall into the world, I am beginning to feel the wind of the empty nest storm moving in.

Worry and pacing the floors at all hours of the night has always been part of my job, so to speak, but now I can't just crack the door open and look at the most wonderful part of my life, laying there sleeping soundly.

I feel a tornado, a hurricane, a tsunami coming. I already know I am going to be a mess, so I just embrace it. It's part of life, right?

To remind myself, and because I have more money now (one of the perks of kids growing up), I have been treating myself to little trinkets here and there. Things I probably would have bought for myself when I was younger but was funneling all of my money into diapers, clothes, and toys. 

I found this necklace on Soul Soup Treasures for a reminder to stay strong, that the weather isn't always going to go my way, and tomorrow is another day and I want to be around to see it. 

Parenting is never easy, regardless of your child's age, but if you can hold on while the wind whips around you, when the rain just keeps coming down, when you feel like everything has been washed away and you're drowning in the sea of worry, just remind yourself that the sun will come back and the rain clouds will retreat... 

It's just a matter of time.