[Elyse Suhay]

I can get really hyper about things when I have a lot going on, which can lead to anxiety, so I try to do something to make myself slow down every few days. Turning off the e-mail notifications on my phone was one of the best things I’ve done in a long time. I work from home, so I had to create that boundary of “office” time. Something else I enjoy is snuggling on the couch with my 75lb lap dog while watching Friends or Frasier on Netflix.

[Elyse Suhay]

Hello everyone! I’m Elyse Suhay, MT-BC, and I have been a music therapist since October of 2013. I took the online SM training in January of 2014, and it only took me a year and a half to make it over to the forum 🙂 Now that I’m here, I hope to make it a part of my routine so that I can get as well as share great ways to make SM better for participants.

[Elyse Suhay]

We officially have a contract with a local library to do Sprouting Melodies once a month! I was also invited to present at a children’s fair where programs are able to showcase what they have available for children. They specified that I have to bring something interactive. Shucks! If only I knew something like that… 😉 I’ll be trying to help my boss with getting more Sprouting Melodies groups going in this area. Also, I found out that my sister, who lives an hour and a half away, is going to have a baby, so now I HAVE to make sure we get a group closer to her!

[Elyse Suhay]

I have absolutely transformed the way I do sessions with my preschoolers since I started this course, and I’ve incorporated many of the ideas learned here into my sessions with older clients as well. I leave more space for silence and comprehension in my experiences, especially during listening activities. I try to structure movement experiences so that each child can be successful as well as show some creativity. I’ve started using more repetition, for instance, playing or singing a song twice instead of just once then moving on. I’ve noticed some improvements from that 🙂

[Elyse Suhay]

Music for skill-building focuses on a specific thing such as keeping a steady beat or literacy prerequisites. Music for development doesn’t focus on a specific skill, but on the area of development the child needs to have to be able to perform certain skills.

[Elyse Suhay]

I have to agree with Cassandra and Dany too. Flexibility and understanding the strengths and needs of your group is very important. Setting clear boundaries (no, you may NOT sword fight with the rhythm sticks) and generally being consistent helps children feel secure because they know basically what to expect.

[Elyse Suhay]

I’m most excited to get to work with more young children! They bring me such joy, and I have the training to do it effectively now. I’m also excited to get practice being around such small children as it will help me when I eventually have kids of my own. And, let’s be honest, I’m VERY excited for the opportunity to expand my work and make more money 🙂

[Elyse Suhay]

Family Sprouts:

5 words: cooperation, helping, connections, individuality, sharing

Session Plan: -Gathering: Hello everyone. Remember to point to younger kids with an open hand. -Bonding song: Hold on Tight. Can suggest to parents that the older child can sit next to the parent and the younger child in front of their sibling, then they can help hold on to their younger sibling. -Song about me: Try using a song in a minor key to get everyones’ attention, such as All of Me. Can sing it through fast for big kids. -Instruments: Can do any song, just be mindful not to make too many changes in timbre or volume. Remind parents that they can all participate as they are able. -Movement: Choose activity with movement that is appropriate for younger babies. Try singing goodbye while dancing with scarves.

Sprouting Melodies 3

5 words: active, deliberate, personality, emotions, accepting

Session Plan: -Gathering: Gather Round. Ask children for creative ideas for what they should do next. -Bonding song: My Brand New Friend. Ask caregivers to model finding a new person to share the scarf. Remind caregivers that bonding looks different at this age, and even if they’re in the middle of the circle they’re still bonding with them. -Song About Me: Can introduce books at this age (did you know it was Right to Read Week at my school?). Make sure to model how to handle the book, and point to the words while you read! -Instruments: You Play a Little. The kids are starting to learn to take turns, so introduce them to a short turn-taking song. -Movement: Will You Come? Another way to share creative ideas and follow how others are modeling movement. -Goodbye: hands Ready. Can introduce signs for children who are not ready for speech yet.

[Elyse Suhay]

I’ve experienced the challenges of having a multi-aged group with a private group that I do. There are two brothers and another girl. The younger brother has a very short attention span, so the activities that are appropriate for him are too boring for the older kids. Some other challenges Meredith and Beth addressed in the videos were that children will be at different stages of development, you have to plan activities that are engaging for the older kids but tolerable for the younger ones, and the older children are often more engaged so it is easy to focus on them instead of the younger siblings. You two also suggested to be consistent from week to week so that the children can learn a sense of predictability from the activities.

[Elyse Suhay]

This is difficult to say, because it is different for every child. It’s also hard in a group because each child has different thresholds. And then, it can also take time to learn what each child needs, so sometimes you figure out where the line was AFTER you crossed it. This is something I’d like to learn more about and know some more indicators. Some things that I look for with overstimulation is when children start participating with way more enthusiasm than I usually see from them, and they generally become self-absorbed or start playing with a classmate if I am not providing enough stimulation. But I don’t really know what to look for in babies that are just 1 year old.

[Elyse Suhay]

This time I was smart and took some notes during the video 🙂

5 words: authentically excited, spontaneous, exploration and discovery, playful, energetic

5 sentences:

1. It’s okay to let your kids go so they can explore.
2. Babies at this age like to watch and absorb what’s happening while they’re here, and then they’re probably going to sing it at home.
3. It’s okay for children to want to “visit” with other people, and it means they’re ready to move forward and trust that you will be there when they come back.
4. We want to organize your child’s body through movement, so here are some things to keep in mind…(feet firmly on floor, etc.)
5. If I say, “Shake up high” and your baby moves another direction, that’s great because they are responding to the music. It doesn’t have to be perfect, as long as they’re engaged.

Session Plan:

Instrument Exploration: I would have the room set up with instruments in a semi-circle so that babies can have access to explore them while everyone comes in and gets situated.

Hello: I would use a hello song that has simple lyrics, but I would use a slightly more upbeat accompaniment.

Bonding: Sing Wiggly Jiggly Car and emphasize the importance of waiting for the child to bring their hands back together to go on in the song

About Me: Sing All of Me and let parents know that I don’t expect their babies to know their body parts, but that they will be listening and learning it

Instrument Play: Play Sit With Me and Shake, and let parents know that it’s okay if their child doesn’t stop right away. They might just need a little more time to process that, and they will get better at it as time goes on.

Movement: Sing Pick Your Hands Up High, and focus on slow movements and moving in whatever way the child wants to with the music.

Goodbye: I will keep the goodbye song that same to keep continuity throughout the different groups.

[Elyse Suhay]

Again, the youngest kids I work with are 3-year olds. I mainly use rhythm sticks and egg shakers that, unfortunately, don’t have brands on them, and they were provided to me by my employer. I also use LMI plastic tambourines, plastic maracas that have a crescent-shaped logo on them, and rhythm tech medium cabasas. I have some small djembes that I don’t use very often. However, it worked really well when I brought one to do a BINGO-style hello song when the students were learning to spell their names. I would be lost without my Ibanez guitar, and I have a Casio keyboard. I don’t use they keyboard often because I have to move around from classroom to classroom, and I don’t want to sacrifice time to set it up and take it apart for each session.

[Elyse Suhay]

5 words: gentle, slower tempo, quiet, swaying, calming.
5 sentences:
1. If we could only see a picture of your baby’s brain right now! Even though she’s only listening, there are SO many connections being formed.
2. Wherever your baby is, that is fine. Whether they are upset or squealing with delight, it’s my job to meet them there musically.
3. By turning away from the music, your baby is making a choice about how he wants to participate.
4. It doesn’t matter how well you sing, your baby is familiar with your voice and wants to listen to you.
5. The more closely you can mimic how your baby is vocalizing, the more they will be reinforced and want to do it again.

Session Plan:
Instrument Exploration- Instruments will be placed in a semi-circle on the floor so babies can access them. Quiet, recorded music playing in the background while I greet people as they arrive.
Hello- Sing a simple song to greet each baby and their parent, repeat names before or after singing to each baby. “We just said hello to Jimmy, and now we’re going to say hi to Susie!”
Bonding Song- Sing Just Like Me, and encourage parents to use a positive affect and sing a long, and comment on the importance of active silence so babies can process what happened.
Lap Ride- Sing Row It Faster, and encourage parents to use whatever movement their baby is comfortable with and ready for.
Instrument Play- Sing I Like This Song, and remind parents that however their baby wants to explore the instrument, whether it is out of time or putting it in their mouth, is okay.
Movement- Model movements for parents while singing As Big As Can Be, and encourage them to hold their baby in whatever position is comfortable for them both (lap, holding in front, baby standing).
Cool Down- Sing Where is My Face, and let parents know that their baby taking the scarf off their face is an acceptable response. Remind them to move the scarf over the baby VERY slowly so they can visually track successfully.
Goodbye- I REALLY like Meredith’s goodbye song, and I will probably use it in more sessions 🙂

[Elyse Suhay]

I believe that Sprouting Melodies will fill an important gap in my community. There have recently been a lot of funding cuts to agencies that normally get government funding, and that has resulted in a decrease in services available for parents of young children. Once I start providing Sprouting Melodies, they will have a place to go where they will be able to learn about their baby’s development and how they can support that at home. I also think having a music-based program for parents and children will give them a unique opportunity to bond with their children. In this town, there are many opportunities for children to play sports, but nothing musical unless you happen to attend a church that has a children’s choir. I played soccer in elementary school, and my parents supported me by attending every game, but they were never actually out on the field playing with me. But Sprouting Melodies gives parents an opportunity to actually engage with their children DURING the activity, and I think that’s something they will enjoy being able to do very much.

[Elyse Suhay]

I’m with Caroline, I have zero clinical experience with children at this age, as well as I struggled with my affect matching what I was doing musically. I think I was concentrating on what I was trying to do, and now that I am more confident I am able to reflect more with my expression. For instance, today I was pretty tired by the time I got to my sixth session, but I was able to keep my energy level up and respond to what the students were doing. I also have limited experience with babies this age outside of clinical work. The only babies I’ve really been exposed to are my cousin (who is now 9) and my best friend’s daughter (who is 2). I didn’t get to see either of them very often, and I wasn’t thinking about them developmentally when I did get to spend time with them. However, I find myself analyzing children more intently now, so I am sure I will be trying to figure out the next baby I come across!

Katie- I am always entertained by how people act with babies too! The roughest guys will always start cooing and making silly faces.

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