Compose Yourself
by Pat Lansmann

By now, either your kids have started school or they are about to. Your calendar is constantly out as you pencil in activities, meetings, and lists of what the kids need by when. Your heels are smoking as the annual rush ensues. It can be energizing and relieving, or hectic and anxious. Good or bad, you and the kids need a break from the unending demands on your blossoming schedules. Unscheduled down time is good, but with so much at stake these first few weeks, don’t let the opportunity to center yourself and your brood slip by. Infuse your lives with wonderful music to relax. Not only will you keep boiling points down, but you can use this opportunity to introduce your children to some of music’s great composers and artists while increasing their cultural quotient.

Get a Handel On It
When you think Classics, don’t just think of Classical music. Perhaps you love Jazz, Classic Soft Rock, Classic Country, Irish Ballads, Show Tunes, Folk or Old-Time Gospel. Your local library has a great selection and check Amazon.com or Itunes for more choices already separated by genre. You could go thematic and pick out music of different cultures or worldwide holiday favorites. Even dig around in your own collection of music. You’re sure to find a few CD’s or cassettes collecting dust that qualify as Classics.

Go a cappella (without music) First
Once you’ve picked the type of music for listening, take a few minutes to check out Aaron Copland’s book What To Listen For In Music. It is available in libraries or for purchase at on-line booksellers. This really is a book worth having in your home library as it teaches how to listen to all musical art forms. Read some reviews and you’ll be convinced. And while you are looking at Aaron Copland’s book, consider adding some of his work to your listening list. His Rodeo is truly an American Classic. Even if you only have the time to listen to his dance episode IV, try it. Your kids will recognize it immediately. I guarantee it. This might help ignite their interest to listen to and identify other familiar works. Hint: a national ad campaign uses it.

Accompaniment
With your play list in hand, use that same trip to the library to flesh out their understanding visually. Browse maps to show states, or countries of origin. Perhaps you can check out a movie depicting the time period. After listening, watch that movie together. If the music is specific to your youth or the kids’ grandparents’ younger days, you might initiate conversations that recount the conditions of those times. Not only is it a great way to connect as a family, but you’ll be surprised how the kids begin to put pieces of information together. Music is a great memory generator and cataloguer. Just think of how you react when hearing tunes of your past. Memories and facts come rushing forward.

Adagio (slow down) Timing Is Everything
Remember the idea is to relax and learn, so don’t throw a CD of Classics on while you are all rushing in, throwing dinner together, and yelling tidbits of your day over your shoulders to each other. Mozart, Irving Berlin and Count Basie deserve better. Find one evening that works for all of you. It doesn’t have to be a Friday. Weeknights are even better as it allows the relaxation to infuse the school and work week when you need it most. Dinner time is often a great time to enjoy a little background music.

Refrain
Musically it means to repeat. Culturally, it is an admonition to be aware of how we spend our time. Once a week, on your designated night, after chores, dinner and homework, unplug the tube, nix the video games and meet in a place where you can all sit, lean back and close your eyes. Devote one hour a week on this family get-together and in a few months, you’ll find your kids recognizing several pieces of Classic music. If you’re really pressed for time, do it once a month after a special dinner and you’ll be making family memories while unwinding and learning. You’ll be a multi-tasking wonder without the stress!

Pat Lansmann, Writer & SuperMom
Pat graduated from college with a B.A. in English and a restless creative spirit. She left the workforce after fourteen years to raise her first of three children. She and her husband educate their children at home, through activities such as gardening, arts and crafts, woodworking, cooking and pet care to personalize, enhance and extend the children’s academic experiences.