 Ahhhhh so excited to be featured in Baby Gaga! Click here to read the full article online.
Music has a way of reaching everyone in different ways. As a music educator and entrepreneur Jenny Johnston (pictured above) explained, "the benefits of introducing music to your baby are endless". Jenny is the founder of Do-Re-Mi & My Baby, a parent and child music class located in Oakville, Ontario. She has an extensive musical background, and recently she has enjoyed using this knowledge and experience to introduce babies and their parents to the joys and wonders of music. Ever since the memorable moment of performing in her Grade 5 musical, Jenny knew that she wanted to pursue music in her life. She joined a local choir, pursued music education in high school, and completed a degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Toronto. Jenny coupled this degree with a Bachelor of Education and enjoyed seven years of teaching elementary music education at St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School, a prominent independent school in Oakville, before starting her own family. Once on maternity leave with her first child in 2016, it wasn't long before Jenny was passing along her love of music to her son, Brady. Her fellow mom friends would remark at how talented she was at fostering that love of music in her own baby, and they were soon asking her to help them teach their own babies about music. Thus, Do-Re-Mi & My Baby was born, and Jenny continues to share her love of music with other parents and babies. When asked what were the benefits of introducing music to your baby, Jenny had many ideas to share. Here are some of the top benefits of introducing music to your little one. 10 MUSIC STRENGTHENS COGNITIVE AND SENSORY DEVELOPMENT Music is a multi-sensory experience, and we don't often realize that. We don't just hear music, we feel it, we experience it. Through exposure to music, babies strengthen their cognitive and sensory development, and this is very beneficial. They learn to recognize familiar tunes, and babies as young as 7-months old can detect different beats in a song. Music strengthens cognitive development by encouraging memory use and thought processes. As Jenny explains, "music engages all five senses", and through frequent exposure to music, babies develop stronger sensory connections. 9 MUSIC CAN BE APPLIED TO ANY ACTIVITY We all know what it's like trying to keep a baby still through a messy diaper change. It can be next to impossible, as they wiggle and squirm while you do everything in your power to prevent poop from getting everywhere. Sing a little song, and all of a sudden, your squirmy baby is transfixed on you, listening intently to the song that you are singing. It buys you the time you need to get that diaper change finished! Music can be incorporated into any activity, and it can help both parents and baby to feel more relaxed through activities that are perhaps a bit more stressful, like those diaper changes! Singing a little song during feeding time can help to calm your baby and help them to focus on eating, and we all know the benefits of singing a gentle lullaby at bedtime to help your baby drift off to sleep. As Jenny mentioned, "it is a wonderful way to build happy routines and establish a strong connection with your child." 8 MUSIC CAN HELP TO DEVELOP LANGUAGE SKILLS Music has a certain repetitive, rhythmic nature to it, and this can be very intriguing and comforting to infants, as they hear a familiar song and learn to recognize the tune and even the lyrics. As they get older, this recognition of lyrics can help them to develop their early language skills. Through music, babies and toddlers become familiar with rhyming words and auditory nuances, and they acquire new words through different songs that they hear regularly. 7 BABIES WHO ARE SUNG TO GET BETTER SLEEP Many parents sing to their baby to help them fall asleep, but did you know that singing to your baby can also help them to stay asleep longer and to sleep more soundly? There is nothing more comforting to an infant than the sound of your voice, so singing them a quiet song at bedtime has a similar effect that meditation has on us. It lowers blood pressure, calms the brain, and readies the body for sleep. It doesn't matter what song you sing or whether you think you are a "good" singer or not, your baby loves your voice, and falling asleep to your gentle singing help them to enter a deeper, more peaceful sleep. So, sing away! 6 MUSIC CAN BE A TOOL TO HELP TODDLERS EXPRESS THEMSELVES As babies and toddlers are exposed to different forms of music, they learn to identify the different tones and nuances in various songs. They can recognize happy, upbeat music and how it sounds different than stronger, angrier music. By exposing your baby to a variety of classical pieces that are emotional, babies learn to differentiate between these emotions. As they get older and are still acquiring their language skills, music can help them to identify and express their own emotions more easily, as they have that understanding and recognition already. This brings toddlers some comfort, as they learn to navigate strong emotions and find ways to express them. So, throughout those terrible twos, keep that music playing! 5 MUSIC CAN TRIGGER MEMORY We all have those songs that can trigger a strong memory, perhaps one that we hadn't thought of in a long time. You could be driving along, and an old familiar song comes on the radio, and instantly you're brought back to a favorite childhood memory. It is remarkable how music can trigger these sorts of memories. It is no different with babies and music. If there is a particular song that you sing to your baby regularly, they learn to recognize that song and associate whatever emotion is linked to it. If it is a happy, peaceful song that you sing to them when it's bedtime, then whenever you begin to sing it, it will trigger that memory and they will know it is time to rest. This use of memory in music also helps to further develop your baby's cognitive abilities. 4 MUSIC CAN IMPROVE MATHEMATICAL LEARNING Music, in all its forms, is quite mathematical in nature. There are patterns to a song, and mathematical reasoning is often required when reading music in order to play an instrument. Certain sounds in music can also be processed by different parts of the brain, sometimes the left hemisphere over the right hemisphere, and this can create a stronger balance within the brain. Even Einstein was known to sit and listen to music while trying to figure out a difficult mathematical problem! 3 MUSIC HELPS TO DEVELOP FINE MOTOR SKILLS AND COORDINATION Learning to move along to music is beneficial for babies in many ways. Identifying the rhythm of a song and moving accordingly helps to develop a child's fine-motor skills, as they learn to differentiate between various rhythms. Playing an instrument is also a great contributor to developing fine-motor skills, so allowing your baby to play with age-appropriate instruments from a young age can help them in the long run. Moving along to music helps to build a baby's coordination, as they learn how their bodies move, and how they can make them move in reaction to different songs. Moving with someone to music can also trigger the release of oxytocin, known as the "bonding hormone", the same hormone that is released during nursing. So, put on your favorite song and dance along with your baby. It is scientifically proven that they will love it! 2 MUSIC-MAKING MAY HELP TO IMPROVE NEUROPLASTICITY Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to form synaptic connections, and it is these connections in the brain that help to develop memory and skills. Music-making may help to strengthen neuroplasticity in the brain in the areas that are dedicated to processing sound, sensation, movement, and attention. This means, by introducing music and music-making to your baby at an early age, they may have an easier time processing different sounds, paying attention to those sounds, and thus developing their language skills. By being actively involved in music-making, rather than just passively listening to it, babies are more inclined to develop these skills, as well as further enhancing their language and social development. 1 IT CAN HELP POST PARTUM DEPRESSION Postpartum depression is a very real condition that many new mothers experience. As Jenny explained, postpartum depression "is something I've suffered with after having both my children, so Do-Re-Mi & My Baby is as much for parents as it is for babies and toddlers. I strive to create an environment in class where moms can meet each other and build their own mom-squad who live close to them and have similar aged kids. Maternity leave is a special time, but it can be so isolating for moms who spend hours alone with their baby all day trying to navigate motherhood alone. Classes like this build community that can truly be the saving grace for new parents." Jenny is an inspiration to many moms, with her musical talent, her ability to connect to babies and toddlers in such a fun way, and her strength and courage to turn her passion into freelance work, allowing her to be at home with her children. If you live in the Greater Toronto Area and are looking for a music class for you and your baby, be sure to check out Do-Re-Mi & My Baby. If you don't live in that area, search around for a similar class near you, and explore all the wonders of introducing music to your baby!  Yesterday was #WorldMaternalMentalHealthDay and I’ve been so moved by the brave posts I’ve read by you mamas sharing your journey through maternal mental health. 🙏
I’ve never been so brave. I’ve never publicly shared my struggle, and I’ve hardly even shared it privately because to be quite honest, I feel ashamed. 😕 This photo was taken at the height of my depression - on a beautiful summer day, holding my beautiful two-year-old son, 8 months pregnant with my beautiful baby daughter, in my beautiful neighbourhood with my beautiful husband. What on earth did I have to feel blue about? 🤷🏼♀️ I was terrified of having a second child because I felt like I was barely coping with one. Toddlerhood knocked me down hard, and I went from a serene maternity leave with my precious baby to navigating self-employment with a fierce toddler in tow. 14 months into motherhood I went from loving it to resenting it. Just when I thought I was in the clear of getting postpartum depression I could barely drag myself out of bed every day.🛌 As this dark depression began to consume me I questioned the decision I made to quit my full time teaching job to be a work-from-home mom. I felt lonely. I felt incompetent. Every meltdown my son had felt like a reflection of something I was doing wrong. I felt furious that my freedom was gone. I felt overwhelmed by the daily demands of motherhood, yet bored by it at the same time. I compared myself to moms on social media who were cooking amazing meals from scratch, and writing about their gratitude for their children and I felt like there was something deeply wrong with me that I wasn’t doing the same. 👩👦 Generally, I do feel better these days. I’ve been to counseling and I take more breaks and a lot of the anxiety I had about having a second child went away once she arrived and I proved to myself that I could manage two kids. But I’m by no means 100% better. Feeling balanced is a muscle to be flexed, and with time and patience I’m learning to flex it. 💪 I’m grateful not to be in the thick of the blues right now. But If you are, know that you’re not alone, and I’m here for ya. ❤️ #maternalmentalhealth  Do you ever struggle with holidays? Ever since having kids the holidays STRESS me out! I find that extended family always have such high expectations for how my kids are going to enjoy a holiday. For example when my son was 18 months my Dad was so pumped for Christmas but my son had no clue what was happening! It's easy for adults to project their own happy childhood memories on kids and hope that our littles experience all the magic that they did, but its a lot of pressure to put on tiny humans! I find it a lot of pressure to put on us Moms too. I always feel guilty if my son "under-performs" on his excitement for a gift or tradition and disappoints the grandparents or aunts and uncles.
This morning was Easter Sunday and we had a fun park Easter egg hunt in our neighbourhood followed by an Easter egg hunt at my Dad and Step-Mom's. Nobody put any pressure on us to have a good time this time, but this year it was ME who wanted my almost 3-year-old to enjoy himself. I found myself rushing him around to "get excited" about finding eggs, and he did for the most part, but I had to stop and remind myself to chill out. This is all just strange traditions that we made up, and none of it really matters. The morning went well but it was followed by a sugar crash and about 7 different meltdowns on the way home. Then after the kids nap we're off to another family Easter dinner, at which point my nerves sink in about how my son will behave, and how my 6-month-old daughter will cope being passed around to strangers desperate to hold her and get a baby giggle or two. It all feels so intense to me, and makes me not want to go. But then in that brief moment when my Son says thank you, and my daughter smiles at a great aunt, it does feel all worth it (almost). I know how much joy children bring to adults, especially ones who are not around them very often. So on these stressful weekends I just remind myself to breathe, grin and bear the embarrassing toddler meltdowns, and give myself a break once in a while. Holdiays are magical and stressful all at once, especially for moms. So let's just post that cute instagram picture of our kid in the bunny ears, enjoy a big old glass of wine, and get through it together. I questioned this title after I wrote it because the last thing I want is to seem ungrateful for my children. I also don't want to blow my daily struggles out of proportion when I know that compared to what so many parents go through with their kids I have it pretty good. But I decided that despite the fact that this title may seem over-dramatic to some, to me, that's exactly how I felt this week. This week kicked my ass. Hard. Both kids were sick with what felt like the 10th cold this winter. And again, I know I have nothing to complain about since some parents spend weeks in hospitals with chronically ill children, but for a run-of-the-mill cold this one blew chunks. Literally. It was also a bit of a perfect storm this week since my husband was working extremely long hours trying to prepare for a product launch (the life of entrepreneur parents) and I received some disappointing work-related news, and of course all of this was happening while trying to deal; with a frustrated, sick toddler on a food strike for 7 days and his equally sick baby sister. Cue violins. So why am I sharing this with you? to gain a little sympathy? Maybe. But also to let you know that you're not alone. My morning on Thursday was a laughable morning to some, but to you moms out there who get the struggle of trying to entertain a sick toddler, you know that sometimes you do what you gotta do to survive! We HAD to get out of the house but he was too sick to bring to an early years centre. So where'd we go in yucky, cold, wet March? Where else but the mall. So here we are surviving.
Yesterday I enjoyed a very special day attending the SheEO summit! I was so lucky that my wonderful Step-Mom Lisa Lyons made it possible for me to go. 💕
As a small business owner I never would have signed myself up, but I’ve learned so much from Lisa (who was recently awarded one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women in 2018) and she taught me the importance of investing in yourself and celebrating fellow women in business (and in life). Lisa embodies this, and I am lucky to learn from such a master. ❤️ I’m also grateful to all the women I met today who are changing the landscape for female entrepreneurs in my daughter’s lifetime. Has anyone else followed this hashtag? #momsinthepicture is all about, well, you guessed it - MOMS in the picture! Because I don't know about you, but my husband doesn't enjoy taking photos like I do. I could take photos all day, every day, and gush over them for years. They are literally my most prized possession, and the few times in my life I've lost some digital or physical photos I'm absolutely devastated. The reason I bring up this hashtag on Valentines day is because as I was searching my overflowing phone for cute pictures of me and my kiddos to post, because you know, its love-day. It was then that I realized I HAVE NONE! Beautiful shots of my son. Beautiful shots of my daughter. Beautiful combinations of shots of my husband and son and/or daughter. But none of me with them. Me. The woman who birthed them. So I've made it my goal to get in the damn picture. Even when my hair is greasy. Even when I'm makeup-less. Even when I'm having a crappy day in the middle of the mom-grind. I'm getting in that picture so that when I'm old and grey and missing those baby/toddler days (because I won't remember how hard they are) I'll want to see that tired face of mine and reflect on how hard and how amazing it was all at once. So moms, if you love your kids, and you love your partner, show yourself some love too and get in the picture. I promise you won't regret it 10, 20 or 50 years from now.
 I'm writing to shamelessly promote the Rebel Tribe Mama class offered by The Poppy Clinic. I had the pleasure of being part of the first Rebel Tribe Mama in November and I cannot rave about it enough.
Let’s face it, being a mom is hard (to say the least) and in today’s world we live in our secluded subdivisions and spend hours alone with our children far away from anything resembling a tribe. This can leave us feeling exhausted and drained. This class was created for moms to find their tribe. Come as you are, with you baby, knowing nobody, and leave feeling supported, heard and cared for by moms in the same boat as you. Creator and facilitator Dr. Michelle Peris and Reneé Tanaka were outstanding at creating a safe environment and providing endless love each week. This class even conflicts with ours, so you KNOW how much I love it if I would willingly send away business! I registered for this class because frankly, I was feeling lonely and scared and overwhelmed. I was going through a particularly dark few months with the birth of my second child, and trying to navigate how to be a mom to two, while maintaining a small business and balance other freelance work from home. It was such a breath of fresh air to hear other's struggles and joys and support one another in an honest and safe space. Being free to talk openly about my challenges with other women and moms was so therapeutic and inspiring. I needed everything this class offered me, and it is my hope that other moms find the same relief as I did from it. Do it. I promise you won’t regret it. You’ll love the sisterhood you’ll meet, the tribe you’ll build, and the community you’ll be a part of. Check out The Poppy Clinic for more info.  Today I had the honour of teaching a pop-up class at Goldfish Swim in Oakville! Kathryn Smith, Mom of 2 and owner of Mama Fitness invited me last month and she made all the arrangements with the moms, as well as other vendors such as local restaurants (like OKO Bagels and Lettuce Love - one of my favourite places!) and a photographer (Peony Photography) who ran mini valentines photo sessions. It was a seriously impressive event and I was super flattered to be asked to lead the music. And as lovely as it is to be part of events like this that help build awareness of my business, doing it with two kiddos in tow is a friggen' hustle to say the least! I woke at 6:30 this morning to one impressively grumpy toddler, and a baby who didn't want to be put down. Trying to run around the house getting them ready to go was the least of my problems, let alone the fact that I had to gather and organize all the instruments for my class, and make sure I didn't look like garbage! My amazing mother-in-law was running late to watch my toddler Brady, so we opted to meet at Goldfish so that I wouldn't be late. Good plan, but crazy plan. After throwing some makeup on and dry shampoo in my hair, preparing Brady's backpack to go out with his Grandma, dressing and changing baby Adelaide, and loading the car with all my music crap in NEGATIVE 20 DEGREE WEATHER I was ready to call in sick. Except I knew that 20 other moms had paid for this class and were already on their own frustrating journey of getting their kids photo ready and buckled into their carseat, also in negative 20 degree weather, so calling it quits was no option for me. I arrived 20 minutes before class with a screaming baby in the backseat. I unloaded in the freezing cold as fast as humanly possible and grabbed my furious baby, while kissing my toddler and mother-in-law goodbye! 'Wish me luck', I thought, as I walked in the door feeling like a hot mess. I managed to settle Adelaide but she still only wanted to be held. So into the carrier she went as we began class. All went well, but it's always hard to jump in and teach when you have no existing relationship with the moms or kids. I'm there singing like a moron asking them to join me and the vibe is a little bit "Beuler?". But I can't blame them. Who wants to sing with some crazy lady they don't know? Thankfully class was half the length of what I normally teach, which was a blessing since I had Adelaide attached to me and some very hyper toddlers running around with balloons. It ended quickly, and overall the response was very positive. Kat was so kind and didn't care that I had my baby with me, because she was in the same boat with her fitness class. She taught and wore her babies at 4 weeks old! In the end, the day felt like the usual shit storm as a working-from-home-freelancer-small-business-owner Mom with two kids and no daycare (one of which is 3-months old). That being said, I'm grateful for the exposure, and glad to be a part of what Kat is building for Halton Moms. I'll be there again next week if anyone wants to join the fun! And hopefully I'll have a little bit more peaceful start to my Morning. :) Check Out Today's Sponsors: Follow Kat on Instagram Lettuce Love OKO Bagels Goldfish Swim Peony Photography
So we've successfully held 3 weeks of classes in our new, amazing location, Baby Float Spa! Everything about it is fabulous. The design of the space is absolutely gorgeous. As a mom of little ones, it's so refreshing to walk into a clean, crisp space that is beautiful and calm all at once. I love the natural light, the floor pads, the high ceilings, and the enormous open room to see babies and toddlers crawl around freely. What a gift! And everybody at Baby Float Spa is so easy to work with, including their outstanding owner, Alexandra Fell. I am forever grateful to her for reaching out to me last year because we could never have found a more perfect space to make music!
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