Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Consolidating Music Lessons

I've made the decision to try consolidating all our music lessons into one afternoon instead of two because our schedule is getting too busy: I don't feel I can 'afford' that second afternoon when we have a number of fun activities coming up this spring and summer. We'll be juggling swimming, Fine Arts Wednesdays, back yard football, and a sewing class, in addition to music. Whew!

Margaret holding Thomas on the front porch
In order to think through the complicated schedule, I wrote out each child in each class on a square of paper, laid them out on the paper, and moved them all around until I thought up a workable schedule. And that took me an hour to figure out!

Building Tinker Toys

As it is, we will be at the music studio for about two-and-a-half hours for one child in violin, three child in piano, two children in one Theory and Technique class, and a third child in another Theory class. Three kids in lessons, four different teachers, all different locations around the studio rooms, and two little mischief-makers: Joseph (3) and Thomas (7 months).

"John, entertain Joseph for a minute, please!"

Today was our first day of trying the new arrangement and I was definitely working at the top of my game the whole time, every half hour switching children to different locations and teachers, changing up how I entertained the two little boys at least that often! We played in the driveway, I showed them how to hula hoop, we climbed up and down the stone wall repeatedly, and we played Tinker Toys and Legos.

Margaret absolutely loved starting her Music Theory class! LOVED IT!

It was tiring, and I'm not sure I could manage it if I were pregnant or if I had a current two-year-old in tow, but we're going to give this a try for now, and I will really enjoy freeing up that second afternoon for something else!

Josey always asks for his turn on the piano.

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