on music.

I don’t know how single moms do it.  It’s not just the sleep deprivation, it’s the deep down mental strength that is required for daily function.  Spoiled with ten days off work to honor  the New Orleans Mardi Gras holiday traditions, and my husband away on tour, it’s just me and the baby...just us.  

Wailing with the lung strength of a five-year-old, my thirteen-month old will.not.stop.crying.  

For those of you who know my daughter, most of you think she’s one hundred percent chill, one hundred percent of the time.  Contrary to popular belief, she’s cranky five percent of the time.  And in this moment, the first time doing this solo mommy thing, I recalled the antidote to her meltdown.  Moana.   

See the light as it shines on the sea

It’s blinding

But no one knows how deep it goes

And it seems like it’s calling out to me

So come find me

And let me know

What’s beyond that line

Will I cross that line

Baby muscles unclench, tears cease and the gritty cry/scream comes to a halt.  Her mouth forms the cute baby “oh” face and her pint-size hips begin to sway.  The Moana soundtrack is like a sedative for my baby, every single time.  The antidote worked- she is chill again, and happy.  I thank Lin Manuel, The Rock, Auli’li Cravalho and all involved in bringing peace to my family’s life. The music and lyrics really are magical.  Mahalo Moana.  

Music has special powers.  It’s ability to transport the mind, body and soul can be surreal.  As an educator, I’ve found that taking advantage of music’s super powers has brought unity, solace and a brighter spirit to my classroom and personal life.  Science shows that this transformative and age-old medicine is proven to reduce stress and act as a catalyst to building friendships.  MUSIC-Sign up for your free trial today!

Music Unifies People

Mardi Gras is nothing like I could have imagined.  Celebrating only my third Mardi Gras this year, I act as more of an observer, than anything.  Watching otherwise strangers unify by means of music, food, floats, traditions and costumes is mind-blowing.  The amount of love and kind-spirited interaction would make a tourist cancel their trip back home.  When the entire street is singing-along to “Do Whatcha Wanna” (Rebirth Brass Band) with that look of city love and family pride, exchanging smiles and sharing the contents of their cooler...it’s a beautiful thing.  

Music unites people. Beyond Mardi Gras, it may not be our natural tendency to hug strangers in the darkness, but music does that to people,  It unifies us.  

Music Ignites Good Vibes

In preparation for this week’s traditions, our ultra-spirited K-8 school prepped their own Mardi-Gras parade with super-krewes, banners and beaded throws galore.  My class does the Krewe of  “Look What’s Cookin’ with Values” accompanied with a choreographed song and dance to Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror.  Five morning spent belting out MJ lyrics and collaborating to get in sync for the big parade was pure joy.  Letting go of some control and allowing for some organized chaos paid off in the end.  

The camaraderie and positive vibes carried through each and every other lesson on those days.  I could feel the love all week.  

Music is not just an emotional experience, it’s physical.  The hormone, oxytocin, is released when interacting with music.  Singing, especially!  “Oxytocin is sometimes known as the cuddle hormone or the love hormone because it’s released when people snuggle up or bond socially.”  (livescience.com)

So, music physically produces good vibes.  

Music Reduces Anxiety

Clearly, the Moana tunes reduces anxiety in my daughter, and ultimately, in me.  Science has proven time and time again, that music does reduce stress. There are numerous forms of music therapy, and in terms of recovery, hospitals are using music to speed patient recovery.  

“An observation made at Massachusetts General Hospital, found that heart patients confined to a bed that listened to music for 30 minutes had lower blood pressure, slower heart rates, and less distress than those who didn’t listen to music.” (circ.ahajournals.org)

Despite all of the research, we know that music can change our moods and perhaps the moods of our students.  

So what now? Be intentional about music as therapy.  Whether it be our personal lives, our classrooms or in helping others.  Turning on the local radio station probably won’t do the trick.  Make a “winding down” mix, specifically for your ride home from work.  Integrate a choral singing task into your morning classroom routine, offer some music education within ELA and introduce your students to  some artists to research on their smartphones for homework.  Trade in your Netflix binge Saturday for a Spotify binge Saturday.  

When you set a purpose for your musical experience, you may find the results are more substantial.  We all love music for pleasure, but why not take advantage of it’s power to heal and inspire?  

Happy listening teachers!  And forgive me for my day late, post.  Tuesday was a big day in New Orleans!

We are sunset.  Mardi Gras 2017