Tag: Music Together

  • Seven Ideas to Make the Thanksgiving Holiday Special: Quarantine Edition

    Seven Ideas to Make the Thanksgiving Holiday Special: Quarantine Edition

    Make new family traditions this Thanksgiving!

    Hello!  Hello!  How Are You?  


    In years past, during the start of the holidays, I would be involved with choir performances for my music therapy groups. Last year, I recall I was very busy leading performances from the Rising Star Choir, The Metro Parks disAbilities Group, and the Peterson’s Choir for Parkinsons.   I recall feeling so proud of my groups for all their progress and accomplishments!   However, this year, 2020, has proven so very different.  I miss the smiles on all my choir members’ faces as they sing and perform!  I’m glad I have videos on the In Harmony YouTube Channel to go back to watch, remember, and hope for more great concerts to come. 


    This year, many of us are staying home and away from family as measures to social distance and reduce COVID spread. This feels very different too.   Even in my own small family unit I’ve been thinking of ways to connect with friends and family. I also want to make Thanksgiving Day special and festive for my kids an husband.  Here are seven ideas I want to share with you: 

    1. What food does you or immediate family members really love but do not have all the time?  Make an abundance of these.  Fo me it’s dinner rolls and deviled eggs, which only get served on holidays.  My kids go crazy for both!  
    2. Make that special dessert that you or your family crave, not matter if it is pumpkin pie or just good old fashioned brownies!  Involve the kids if they are keen to help out. 
    3. Spend a few hours watching a favorite movie or a binge of shows together.  Pop some popcorn or have that bag of potato chips you don’t often buy.  
    4. Go ahead and start decorating the house for Christmas!  
    5. Play your favorite music and have a dance party, even break out the Christmas music if you are so inclined.  
    6. Take a walk in the neighborhood at mid-day. Hopefully, the sun will be shining high in the sky! 
    7. Zoom or FaceTime with family and/or friends during dinner time and have dinner virtually “together”! 

    What are some of your family traditions? What are you doing new and different this year to keep Thanksgiving festive and fun? Drop a comment below and let me know what you are up to and to share more ideas! 

    As always, be sure to follow In Harmony Music Therapy of Middle Tennessee on Instagram and Facebook. If you have any questions about music therapy services, feel free to reach out at carrie@inharmonymusicmidtn.com. I’ll be announcing my January schedule soon, so keep on the look out for more updates in the weeks to come! 


    I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving! 
    All the best, 

    Ms. Carrie

  • Important Update for August 2020 Going Forward

    Since March of 2020 I’ve seen varying social media posts either saying, “What’s Next 2020?” or “Things I’ve Learned in 2020”. The first statement speaks to the fact that 2020 has brought on some unfavorable changes, thrown us into a pandemic, and completely upended what we think of as a “normal” day or week. The later statement, seems to take a look at the bright side of change and how a person can grow and evolve with the changes. I personally, have felt both sides of these statements this year as some days have been better than others and I have rolled with the punches and also reflected on what is good about life as I know it. It has been a time to adapt to changes and look at how best to adapt to these changes in both home and work life. Even before March of 2020, I have been feeling the need to let go some parts of my work responsibilities. I have also felt the winds of change for a long time even as far back as the Summer of 2018. So, here I am in August 2020 and I’m making some necessary changes to In Harmony Music of Middle Tennessee and I want to let you know about them.

    I’ve been a music therapist coming up on 15 years now, and a Music Together Center Director for 8 years. I love my career! I love making music with kiddos and their parents! However, here is the crux of the matter, I am letting go of the Music Together Family classes and moving my work focus to music for therapy. I have closed my center location at the Groove Room in Hermitage. I plan to reopen my West End location at Blakemore United Methodist Church, when it is safe to do so, to children with special needs including kids diagnosed with Autism, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and other developmental and intellectual disabilities. I am continuing to offer teletherapy services to children and youth with special needs at this time. Music Together within Therapy uses the music from the Music Together curriculum to children with special needs reach their individual non-musical goals. Non-musical goals can include, increasing communication, strengthening gross and fine motor skills, working cognition skills, and increasing awareness of self and others.

    I will be reorganizing my mailing list and will send out notification and add a new form to my website within the next few weeks. If you are interested in hearing more about Music Therapy services please reach out me directly at carrie@inharmonymusicmidtn.com

    It’s with a heavy heart that I close my Music Together Family classes. However, there are many other great classes offered in and around Nashville and I’ve provided links at the bottom of this page (below the photo gallery) to the four groups I know who continue to hold family classes both online during this time and possibly in person in the near future. I’d encourage you to check them them out, especially, to continue building basic music competence which is so important to early childhood development.

    It is has been a pleasure serving over a hundred families over 8 years though Music Together Family classes! I look forward to continuing to serve as music therapist to many children with special needs and their families.
    Thank you for your support of In Harmony Music of Middle Tennessee!

    I wish you the best in life,

    Ms. Carrie
    Thank you for all the great memories!

    Check out these great organizations for more Music Together Family Classes!

    East Nashville: https://tennlittlebirds.com/

    West Nashville: https://musiccitymusictogether.com/

    Hendersonville: https://sumnermusictogether.com/

    Nolensville: https://www.musictogetherwithgretchen.com/

    Music Together LLC Class Locator: https://www.musictogether.com/class-locator

    Music Together art and logo design 
    Music Together art & logo design © 1992-2020 Music Together LLC. Music Together is a registered trademark. In Harmony Music of Middle Tennessee is licensed by Music Together LLC. For more locations: musictogether.com – (800) 728-2692

  • Music Therapy Parent Ed Moment: “One Little Owl”

    Hello Parents!  I have a song to share with you today! I use this song in my work as a Board Certified Music Therapist.  Check out this 2 minute video which teaches you the song so you can sing it at your home and lets you know how I use this song in my clinical practice with children with special needs.

    Want to know more about how music therapy can benefit your child?  Sign up for your FREE 30 minute teletherapy consultation to speak directly with me, Carrie Friddell, MT-BC, on how music can target your child’s specific needs.

    Schedule Appointment

    You can also reach me at carrie@inharmonymusicmidtn.com or call at 615-390-3207. 

    Thank you and I hope to hear from you soon!  

  • The six times in the day that music makes a difference to infants and young children

    Young children need routines, rituals, and predictability to feel secure in there environment.  We are often creatures of habit but good habits are often learned and established to gain that sense of good health and feelings of security.  In the post focused on singing to infants 0-9 months,   I talked about moments of musical play to increase babies musical enrichment which helps foster bonding between parent and child.  Songs can also help transition from one activity to another. One of the best techniques is singing or chanting while the children are helping to clean up instruments used during Music Together Classes or in Music Therapy sessions. My favorite is using​ the rhythmic chant, Saying and Doing, which is featured in this semester’s song collection, Flute,  and adapting it to the clean up time.  

    “Cleaning up instruments, cleaning up instruments, cleaning and cleaning and cleaning up instruments!”
    And, ​​”Helping our friends, helping our friends, helping and helping and helping our friends!”

    Even if you don’t find yourself to be particularly “musical”, rest assured that your young child LOVES your VOICE! Your voice brings comfort and security to them as well.  The more you sing, the better encouraged your child is to love music!  

    ​The following are ​some ​other ways you can use music throughout your child’s daily routine. Making tasks fun and enjoyable at a young age can help reinforce positive behavior and emotions. This is also important as children learn what is expected of them as valuable and helpful contributors​ to the family.

    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

    1. Waking up: Sing a wake up song to your infant ​or young children when you greet them in the morning. I often have sung the song, Good Morning from the musical, Singing in the Rain, to my children, but they have also heard, Frere Jacques, This is the Day, and the Music Together ”Family Favorite” song,   Biddy, Biddy.  Singing an upbeat and happy sounding song can help set the tone for the day ahead.  Hearing your voice can  bring comfort to your child after a nights sleep.  Wake up songs help regulate mood and emotions and helps the body to physically wake up.  

    2. At Mealtime: Music is a great way to help pass the time when your child is nursing, taking their bottle, or learning to eat. Any fun song will do. Laurie Berkner’s Valley of Vegetables, the folk songs Sweet Potato and All Around the Kitchen are songs that speak directly about food and eating fun. P​l​aying recorded music during meal times is also fine, but remember to sing along when you can to show your child how fun singing is!  Also, grab a spoon and a pot and play along to the beat! 

     

    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

    3. When changing diapers and potty training: Choose a fun, easy song and sing it every time your child’s diaper is changed or to help them sit on the potty. Pairing a song to an otherwise mundane ritual​, such as​ when being changed, helps to create a more relaxing setting.  The same is true for potty training. ​Singing a song can help define the length of time a child sits on the potty. Enjoyable songs are Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Mary Wore a Red Dress (verses can be changed and made up to this tune), and She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain.

    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

    4. While being buckled in: If there is one moment a song may help a potential negative experience​,​ it is getting into the car seat. Babies and children ​often fuss and squirm. My own children when they were small often fussed in the car seat and singing to them helped. Just like changing diapers and potty training, singing a favorite song every time you help your child into their car seat may help calm ​them​ enough to get them buckled in with fewer protests. Although any fun song your child likes will do, several travel related songs include, Drive My Car by Laurie Berkner, Driving in the Car from Music Together, and Driving in My Car by Peter Allard.

    DSCN05015. Sing during bath time and getting ready for bed: This is a great opportunity to sing about baths, bubbles, washing up, getting dry, brushing teeth and hair​,​ and getting dressed for bed. Make up verses to tunes you already know like “I’ve been scrubbing in the bathtub, all the livelong day!” to the tune of I’ve Been Working on the Railroad. My kids enjoyed their daddy or me chanting Jack in the Box from the Music Together collection while they hid under their towels getting dry. Singing to the tune of Frere Jacques, you can make up a verse: “Brushing, brushing, scrub, scrub, scrub, cleaning your teeth, cleaning your teeth, polish your smile, polish your smile.”

    DSCN05066. And don’t forget the lullaby moment​: What a great way to ​finish the day, bond with your child, and say goodnight by singing one last song to your child before bedtime. Even if ​t​he​y​ are wiggly, singing a soothing song not only help​s​ your child calm down but also is beneficial to focus you as the parent after a long day!  Singing a lullaby helps to express your love for your child. The songs my children enjoyed when they were infants and toddlers were, Amazing Grace, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, and Down in the Valley. As a bonus, having a good rocking chair for an easy rocking rhythm is great for that physical, rhythmic input that babies often crave to help calm their bodies.

    DSCN0302Singing with your child throughout their day is a great way to help foster musical appreciation, learn to sing, and increase rhythmic development in their growing brains and bodies. What are your favorite songs to sing to your child? What are your child’s favorite songs? How do you use music to make the most of your days? Feel free to leave a comment on the In Harmony Music of Middle Tennessee Facebook Page​,​ and share this post with other families in our community of music makers!

    Music is moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and charm and gaiety to life and to everything – Plato

    Join a Music Together Class and learn songs that help get your child through their day!  

     

     Carrie Friddell, MT-BC is a Board Certified Music Therapist, the Music Together Center Director and owner of In Harmony Music of Middle Tennessee.  Find out more at: In Harmony Music of Middle Tennessee