IS YOUR "EMOTIONAL BUCKET" EMPTY?

Juggling responsibilities!!

As parents and teachers, we’ve experienced the wonderful affect that WeJoySing has on our children’s development. We see 1 year olds become more verbal and develop fine motor skills as they explore rhythm instrument, 2 and 3 year olds learning to take turns through musical games, 4 and 5 year olds exploring their singing voice while reading melodic notation, and infants soaking in every musical sight, sound and movement,  creating connections in their brain that will foster endless future learning. But, have you ever thought about what can WeJoySing do for YOU...the parent.  Paly, a mother of three, has and wrote WeJoySing to share her delightful thoughts and memories.  In her reflection she wrote:

               I have woken (every Friday for the last 4 years) with JOY! Coming to your class every Friday was such a vital part of my week. It was a gentle reminder for me to love, cherish and enjoy my time with my children. It is so easy to get into the habit of throwing toys at our children and letting them play while we catch up on our emails or chores. But at WeJoySing each week for 30 minutes you teach us to play with our children. And more importantly how to truly ENJOY it.

Mrs. Krista takes control...give Mom a Break!!

I will be the first to agree with Paly, parenting can be the most wonderful, terrifying, joyful, stressful, emotionally draining and fulfilling job there is. I remember as a first time parent being so nervous about everything. ‘Am I doing this right? Am I doing everything that I can to help this little one grow into the amazing human being that they have the potential to be?’ I read every book that there was, but sometimes the advice in the book did not work with my little one….and then what?  We quickly learn that trial and error and relying on the support of family, friends and those around us help to get us through.  WeJoySing aims to provide and create that community and support for you. We LOVE each and every child in our class and want to see them develop into the amazing human beings that we know they can be. But, we also want to be here for YOU, the parents, as well. We want to be a support for you when you don’t know what to do. To give you that time during the week in which you don’t have to worry about laundry or potty training, but you get to be joyful in play with your little one.

What Paly said it SO right. We live in a day in age in which we feel like we constantly have to be on the go; doing something, working on a project or calling someone back. We can so easily forget to take time to PLAY. Albert Einstein once said that “Play is the highest form of Research’. That is what our children do every day. Through play they are researching the world around them and soaking in every single thing that they can. The best thing that we can do as parents to foster the development of our children is to LOVE them and PLAY with them. These are 2 core values of WeJoySing.  When playing with our children, we forget about the stresses of the week, the bills that need to be paid, the appointments that we need to made or conference calls we have.  Those 30 minutes of class each week are designed to not only foster the development of your child, but to fill your emotional bucket as a parent as well. In her note Paly wrote:

               Your 30 min class rejuvenates me for the week – we sing your songs, read your books, play your games at home. I sing to them whenever I remember to and forget how tired I am or that I have other work to do…..and I have so much fun with my children when I do this! I think WeJoySing has single handedly kept me sane as a stay at home mom. It has given me the tools and inspiration to do this job right.  Thank you for sharing your love, joy and songs with us each week.  It means more to us than you will ever know.

What an amazing testimonial. We have been so blessed to have Paly as part of our WeJoySing family for 4 years, but what an even bigger blessing she is to her two wonderful children. Through her time at WeJoySing, she has seen the value of play, experienced the joy of time given in one on one interaction with her children and seen their lives changed for the better. It’s all about community, love and supporting parents. We are SO thankful to have each and every one of you as part of our WeJoySing family and are humbled that you allow us to be a part of the circle that helps support YOU and your family.

Love and La Las,
Mrs. Julie P.

Music's Influence on Speech and Language Development with Speech Pathologist, Courtney Jones

I LOVE the WeJoySing curriculum.  As a WJS instructor and a WJS parent, I have seen how WeJoySing can make a difference in the lives of children and parents alike.  We strive to create an atmosphere where learning can TAKE OFF! But the best part is – it all happens in the context of PLAY! The children think they are just PLAYING.  When in reality, so much BRAIN WORK is happening! 

I have seen it in action and have read the research supporting our approach, but I wanted to hear from a professional in the area of speech and language development.  A parent in one of my classes, Courtney Jones, is a Speech Language Pathologist.  I asked if I could interview her to get her perspective on WeJoySing and how it helps children in the area of speech acquisition. 

Tell me a little about your family and professional background:I am a Speech Language Pathologist with a Master’s Degree in Communication Disorders.  I have spent the majority of my career working with children at the preschool level with speech impairments and expressive, receptive and social language deficits.  My husband, Travis, and I have a 16 month old son Oliver and I am currently a stay-at-home mom.

How did you hear about WeJoySing?  
Once my son turned six months old, I was feeling a need for an activity for him (and me!) since he was so busy.  My friend, who has a daughter a year and a half older than Oliver, told me about WeJoySing.  Oliver and I visited a class last February and have been back every session since.  Because we live in Zanesville, it takes us 40 minutes each week to get to class.  However, because Oliver enjoys the class so much, and I see how impactful WeJoySing has been to his social and language development, the 40 minute drive has been nothing but worth it. 

Why did you decide to sign up for WeJoySing classes?  
I first sought out WeJoySing as a way to add some routine to our schedule and to get us out of the house!

How do you see WeJoySing helping children with language acquisition and development? Have you seen ways that WeJoySing has influenced Oliver's speech and language development specifically?
I have been so impressed by the professionalism of WeJoySing and by the program’s ability to incorporate so many fundamental language components through the use of music. One-step direction following, social engagement, turn-taking, spatial concepts, use of instruments, new vocabulary and established routines are just a few of the things I see WeJoySing implementing to help with language acquisition in these young children. 

The 1 Year Olds like their "La La's" on the Tummy!!

Throughout the weeks, I saw my son develop familiarity with the songs and routines.  For instance, the stuffed animal dog who greets the children each week and a stamp (or “lala” as they call it in class) the children get on their hands at the end of each class.  Oliver would smile during the welcome song, try to imitate gestures like clapping and waving, “dance” along to the music and would giggle in anticipation of gross motor movements like lifting him up high or swinging him around. I will never forget being home with Oliver and after saying the sounds “lala” to him, he looked at his hand and pointed, making the connection between the sound and meaning of the sound.  It was one of the first times I realized he receptively understood what I was saying!

The WeJoySing instructors are very knowledgeable and friendly and the environment is warm and welcoming.  I feel so grateful to have learned about WeJoySing.

With many thanks to Courtney for her expertise and
word of “wisdom” for our parents and reader!
JOYFULLY!
Mrs. Jody