[Jessica Solimini]

Music Therapists create a safe environment for children and their caregivers to play, learn, and explore. They allow children and their caregivers to bond and have fun together! They can also provide parents with tools to support their child’s development, as well as reassure them that the development they are seeing is appropriate.

[Jessica Solimini]

Singing: A) Child will coo/vocalize to a pitch T) Vocalize with matching pitch about half the time I) Imitates vocal sounds C) Singing with pitched intervals R) Child will sing familiar songs with a group

Playing: A) Turns toward sound T) Reaching out to touch an instrument I) Child may move the instrument from hand-to-hand C) Child will play an instrument and stop/start music R) Maintain a steady beat.

Moving: A) Moves whole body to music. T) Intentionally moves body to music I) Clapping hands to music. C) Child can start/stop moving their body in response to music. R) Recall and reproduce movement patterns

Listening: A) Recognizes changes in vocal timbre T) Recognizes familiar melodies I) Matches intensity of movement to intensity of music C) Stops their actions to listen to music R) Listens to the music of others.

[Jessica Solimini]

Just this week in the office we went over some of the feedback we received from the Lawrence public school teachers and this topic came up, specifically a request to incorporate some Spanish language songs into the sessions. This was something I had not particularly thought a lot about previously, but I can see where incorporating some music that is culturally significant to the client would increase and enhance opportunities for trust and building rapport between client and clinician.

[Jessica Solimini]

Throughout my pregnancy with my daughter I was aware that she could hear me and get to know my voice in utero. I decided “You are my Sunshine” would be our song and I would sing it to her often. Once she was born and in the awareness stage, I continued our routine of singing this to her and it always both calmed her and got her attention. She would routinely turn her face to me when I would sing to her. This continued until about age 2-3 where she would tell me “No sing now!” but that’s probably the Control phase haha.

[Jessica Solimini]

Awareness: 1) To look or not look at the source of music. 2) To reach toward source of music. 3) Turning toward or away from music or facial affect changes.

Trust: 1) Choose how to explore instruments 2) To choose how long to play with the instruments 3) Recognizing/anticipating familiar song tempo and key

Independence: 1) Uses repeated sounds 2) Babbles with melodic inflection 3) Uses whole body rhythmically

Control: 1) Dances spontaneously to music 2) Uses multiple repetitions of familiar words and phrases 3) Engages in standard songs and spontaneous singing.

Responsibility: 1) Maintains a steady beat 2) Can shout and whisper 3) Imitates simple rhythm patterns

[Jessica Solimini]

That’s true – it’s not just kids who need the release and space to be silly and playful! Being a grown up is such serious business sometimes, I would imagine attending the SM class with their little one is a bright spot in the adult’s week for that reason.

[Jessica Solimini]

Mark, I think fostering nonjudgmental spaces is so key for parents of young kids, especially first-timers. So often when a kid is acting out a behavior in public there’s definitely the pressure to get your child to “behave,” no matter how developmentally appropriate it may be. Creating a space where parents and caregivers don’t have to feel the need to apologize or quickly move to quiet their child would be a welcome respite.

[Jessica Solimini]

I agree and found it fascinating to think about how quickly even the smallest child picks up on tone and inflection. I also paid attention to the idea of kids looking for stimulating noises/sounds, and I got to see that in action observing Emily yesterday. She would change the volume or speed of her guitar playing and get such a reaction from one client – lots of wide eyes and happy surprise on their face each time.

[Jessica Solimini]

I loved the videos and chapters from this week – like I said in my personal reflection post, the baby years seem very far away to me sometimes even though my daughter is only 8. Going through all the stages of typical development was a nice refresher and walk down memory lane as I remembered the the times when I had no idea what was “normal” or expected. I wrote in big letters that music therapy can be an “opportunity to share another way of being” and that “many parents don’t know what typical behavior looks like.” Another big takeaway for me this week was about how mouthing is a natural way for babies to explore their environment and that it’s a behavior that needs to be allowed to happen. I was definitely guilty of the “don’t put that in your mouth” refrain. Remembering that behaviors that are not harmful are just the baby’s way of learning about the world was a key point for me this week.

[Jessica Solimini]

Week 2 and already a question I can’t really answer that well! Haha… well to make this question fit me and my work, what I will try to bring to the office is a sense of playfulness and joy, especially when the little ones are around. I was lucky enough to sit in on Sprouting Melodies with Billie and MacKenzie in my first few weeks at RMTS and it made a big impression on me. Even though my daughter is only 8, the baby years can feel far away sometimes and it was nice to be sitting on the floor watching the world through some very young eyes again. Taking that feeling back with me to my office was a nice reminder of what you are all doing while I’m crunching numbers and filling your schedules!

[Jessica Solimini]

Hi Tori,
Congrats on finishing up your degree! That’s exciting! I’m looking forward to getting to know you.

[Jessica Solimini]

Hi Mark! Looking forward to getting to know you and your experiences better during the course.

[Jessica Solimini]

Hello! I’m Jessica Solimini and I’m the office manager for Roman Music Therapy Services. I have a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration with a special certification in online programming delivery so I should be very comfortable with this course delivery method! 🙂 I live in Stoneham, MA with my husband and our 3 kids.
Since Music Therapy is an entirely new field for me, I am very excited to read the texts and learn from my colleagues. There may be some weeks where I am unable to provide insight on the forums given that I am not in practice as you all are, but I will do my best to keep up!

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