Kindermusik with Sarah

Its been a little quiet over here on the blog for the past year.

I’ve had a lot on my plate, both personally and professionally, and its slowed me down in all kinds of ways. Those who know me, or my Kindermusik classes here in Beijing, will notice some few changes.  My name has changed.  The company name has changed.  The number of community classes we’re offering has changed. I’m no longer the Kindermusik Area Developer here in Beijing…

Rest assured these are all really good changes.  Julia and I are doing great, and have really settled into our life here in Beijing. I like living here more than ever, and plan to be here for the foreseeable future. Professionally, LaFaFa is a great place to work, and we’re working together to grow opportunities for kids to experience musical learning in China in ways I could only have dreamed about a year ago.  There are some really exciting plans in the works for Summer/Fall 2010 that will relaunch our full community programme, including weekday options.  And Lily, the new Kindermusik Area Developer here is continuing recruit new educators and help new programs grow in Beijing with great results.

So its all good, I promise.

And watch out, because its about to get a lot wordier over here in blogland again…

Sarah

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Before I had Julia I never won anything.  I used to tell people stand next to me to increase their chance of winning.  Julia, however, seems to have been born with a lucky streak.  Either that or she is now the ultimate person right next me, the unluckiest person in the world.

Since Julia was born she has picked out some meagre winning on lottery tickets for her dad, had her name drawn for a Flexa bed from Beijing Kids, and today continued her streakby winning a much coveted Trek bicycle at the Green Cow Organic Farm’s Harvest Fest hosted by Mrs. Shanen (of the restaurant of the same name).

Picture to follow, as my laptop has decided to start falling apart.  First the battery, then the space bar started sticking and now the card reader isn’t working?  I’ve got to find a computer store . . . and take Julia with me.

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The China Daily has published an article on a local women’s entrepreneurship group I am a member of here in Beijing, focusing on how we balance self employment and family life. Its an interesting read, if only to realize that working parents face many of the same issues.  Oh, and that I know some really cool people doing great work here!

Click here to read the article in full, and see a somewhat unflattering picture of Julia and I at the Temple of Heaven. Unfortunately we were fresh out of staged photos of us merrily singing and cleaning instruments together while I am typing, answering the phone, and reheating leftovers.

This image lovingly borrowed from www.thestayathomemother.com website.

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小猫喵喵喵！Little cat meow meow meow!

That was the first small sentence Julia read to me last night.  As  a lover of books and reading as long as I can remember, it is magical to see my own child start reading.   I spend my days extolling the value of participation rather than performance, but when my own child started rhyming off characters in her book last night, I hugged and praised and clapped with the best of them.  I’m still glowing today.

I think I was celebrating as much for me as I was for her.  3 is a challenging age, full of magical thinking, humour and some of the most frustrating and outright defiant behaviour we have seen around here to date.  To see my daughter so independent, so pleased with her own abilities, so in the moment and in love with what she was doing was like a glimpse of where we are headed over the next few years.  It was also a reminder that what we do now lays the groundwork for what is yet to come in her life, and that my work as a parent and teacher is really important.  Even when it means saying no, again, for the 754th time to more TV, sweets, or her hair-brained schemes that challenge the fundamental laws of physics in favour of the thrill of the jump.

So we read the same little Chinese rhymes again and again, we learn our ABCs when the mood strikes and count everything in sight.  And sometimes, when a celebration is in order, you can have a treat after supper and I will pretend not to see you jump off the couch just one time.  My heart bursts just a little at the sight of her, my daughter, doing all these amazing things all at once.  Soon enough I won’t be able to keep up with her reading in Chinese, but until then I intend to hear as much as she will share with me about the cats.

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Thanks to all of you who supported our first Children’s Music Day in November.  We had a great time, and hope you did too!  Best of all, we raised some money for the kids at Blue Sky Healing Home, a medical foster home right here in Beijing.  Thanks to our sponsors:

tbjKids

Canadian International School of Beijing 

Crocs China

Exquisite Bakery

Our friends at tbjKids have a shiny new website, and it features some fantastic pictures from our event.  Take a peek here to see all the fantastic families that were in attendance that day.  Thanks again for your support, and we’ll see you next year!

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