Mama Loves a Routine

This is the cat who is in the doghouse. This is the fierce warrior who brings me headless victims from the wild back yard several times a week. This is the anger management failure who pees on things when he doesn't get his way. Staying out all night and sleeping all day on the sofa and making messes everywhere are really characteristics of a rebellious teen, not a sweet pet. Monday we started the dialog about finding Garfield a new home. He responded by being super cute and loving and pet-like all week. Why does he have to be so dang soft and fuzzy?

I started teaching this week and we should be into a routine but of course there are always exceptions. Meetings. Traffic jams. Girls who think they are ill but then turn out to be okay when informed that there will be no videos or computer while they recover on the couch. There are always exceptions to the routine. . .

But, Mama still loves a routine and let's face it. . . the saying goes if Mama ain't happy ain't nobody happy. It's the structure of the routine that helps us grow. We can't grow in chaos. What I lack for in musical genius and virtuousity I make up for in the gift of organization. Schedules. Practice charts. Post-it notes. Calendars. Remember the well known Dolly Parton quote "it's takes an awful lot of money to make me look this cheap?" It's like that with organization. It's takes a heck of a lot of planning to make things this simple.

Let's start with a post-it note at the top of the piece. It could be Cuckoo, it could be a Beethoven sonata. It has today's date, and it has one to three practice points. There it is staring at us. Next week I see exactly what I said last week. Did it get done? Slap another post-it on top.

It's really just that simple. Give a suggestion. Check and see if it got done. Grow. Have a a purpose to the practice.

What about the listening? When are you going to put on the listening? If I'm a veteran teacher and can't remember to hit play on the iTunes sitting on my kitchen desk, how are the these families supposed to get it done? The routine. Before anyone sits down at the meal table. . . put it on.

It doesn't matter what system we use--but you have to have a system. I've yet to see much growth in the winging it school. Mark your calendars, check off the practice chart, put on the sticker. Humor me here, people.

Teaching kids how to organize their time and set small goals might be the most important thing we ever do. What a blessing that we get to use music to do it.

It sure was good to see everyone this week! I have the best job. Loving kids. Loving music. In that order.