Music and parenting

Rui Cai (Rachel) discovered the joy of combining music and parenting when she joined the Play Learn Connect Program. She is a Level III English student at Prace and when she offered to tell us about her “amazing journey” we couldn’t wait to read it. We hope you enjoy it too.

The program started with an interesting way. Everyone should pick up an instrument to express what you are feeling today. Then Rachel and Ollie led us singing and dancing. The point is that every simple song has a corresponding action. After that, we would discuss some questions like why is music important? How can the music help you with parenting?

Moving to singing, we worked together to create a song regarding the parenting, even though we have never done this before. Finally, we ended up with what we enjoyed and what I learned today. A fantastic Tuesday morning has ended, I want to express gratitude with what I enjoyed and what I learned.

I enjoyed the encouraging and relaxed environment of this passionate group. We always be listened and delivered our opinion no matter how silly or tiny it was. We worked together on rhyming words, new lyrics, new songs. 

I enjoyed this multicultural group. I dared not imagine teaching the group of people a Chinese nursery rhythm in Australia. We also learned Arabic songs. We also found we have the same tune dubbed in different languages. Music has no language barrier.

I enjoyed it, it gave me a chance to communicate with others in English. I still feel nervous when I speak in front of many people. They were so kind and friendly, I wouldn’t feel embarrassed when I got stuck sometimes.

I learnt some good songs. I really love the opening song: Here I am standing on Wurundjeri land,the earth, the sky and sea, and me.

I learnt I can make a song by myself. Music is a tool, filling our life. It has magic, hasn’t it? We shouldn’t take it too hard or too far. Maybe we can use some simple words to dub our familiar tune and sing it in many way, like eating, dressing, going to bed.

I learnt I can use songs to teach my kids. It inspires me that I can teach my kid by song. Like down by the bay, we can think the rhyming words together and put it into this song. We can just dance to learn opposite words, like left and right, high and low, loud and quiet.

Good time always is short. I appreciate that I can join this activity, sing loudly, happy endless.

Play Learn Connect is funded by a grant from ACFE.