Music!

As a Montessori teacher I am surrounded by music every day. The children and I are constantly singing, both together and separately. We play the bells, sometimes via lessons I give them, and sometimes they'll play them spontaneously. We also learn the names and composers of music from various time periods and genres. Needless to say, the musical foundation offered to children in our Montessori classroom is rich and vast.

From time to time I'll read something about the research done on the benefits of music for babies and children, but, here's an astonishing revelation (ha!)  this is an article about a documentary reporting the benefits of music for seniors struggling with dementia. Go figure.

When we think about our childhoods and education, regardless of whether you had a good experience (I did, even though part of me wishes I had been in Montessori schools all the way through..) or a bad one, what do we remember? I know I learned all sorts of facts about math and science, but I only remember the math I enjoyed (as well as what I use on a daily basis). I certainly don't remember much about the biology and physics I learned.

...but music, man. I remember a lot about what music I was listening to during different periods of my life, and I bet you do too.

There was that summer when I was working at camp for the first time and was totally crushed out on this boy called Tom. I listened to Etta Janes almost every day. I knew that album inside out. 

There's the pop music of my days at UCLA that I would listen to on the radio while driving around. Zoe and I would blast it when we were carpooling and occasionally try to make other commuters smile by being ridiculously silly. There are the times I was blue and would listen to The Beatles, curled up with tea and wishing it would rain (or glad it was gloomy outside). My entire childhood is bridged together with memories of singing oldies in harmony with my mom. :) Now, if I have anything to do with it, Elon's childhood will also be peppered liberally with music of all sorts.

I'm musically inclined, and I know this. I'm also acutely aware that not everyone is like me. I would, however, be astonished to meet someone who doesn't have *some* happy memory of music in their early lives. 

It's not surprising, therefore, that these seniors are benefitting from the music of their early days. :) I hope the documentary causes positive and lasting change for them.

I say, go sing your heart out. Don't judge your voice, because if somebody cares, that's their problem. They could probably stand to sing something themselves. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go sing my baby to sleep. :D