Confession Time: I Hated Kindermusik

sandpaper blocks 300x247 Confession Time: I Hated KindermusikBack when my daughter was a Toddler, I signed her up for Kindermusik. Well, technically I signed us up for Kindermusik, because it was one of those mommy and me type activities.

But I hated it. I dreaded getting ready for it, I dreaded parking my car and getting my kid out in the rain to go inside… I hated being there in a big open room where we had to sit in a little circle with all the other moms and dads, singing out loud and rubbing sandpaper blocks together.

I especially hated rubbing sandpaper blocks together. 

I actually disliked all those mommy and me type classes. Every single one of them. The guided play was so freakin’ weird. Everyone sits in a group with their child sitting in their lap, the instructor then tells you how to play along with your kid, what songs to sing, what beat to clap to… just all sorts of ridiculous stuff that I can seriously do on my own without ten other parents sitting across from me judging me on my singing voice and rhythm style.

I know what you’re thinking: Oh those people don’t care about you– they’re just there to play with their own children and have a good time. 

Bullshit. You know how I know this? Because I was TOTALLY judging them. That dad can’t sing. That lady needs new highlights. Shouldn’t that little boy be walking better than that. Oh wow, my daughter knows way more words than that kid. 

Hey, those classes are like an hour long. I can only sing about the mouse going up and down the clock so many times before I go insane– you can’t blame me if my mind wandered a bit.I am just saying if I was thinking things about them, then they were thinking things about me. And, that just sucks. The idea that we are all sitting there comparing parenting points and seeing who’s the best is my least favorite kind of parenting. 

I am not saying I didn’t like getting out and having my kid play with other kids, I LOVED those activities like gymnastics, etc. I loved watching her interact with other kids, getting to know them, and just seeing all that cool social stuff click in their little minds. The only problem is, how the heck can they do that with their parents sitting on top of them trying to show them proper jingle bell ringing techniques?

Which is what I think the root of my problem is with these kinds of classes.. it’s TOO structured for play with parents and their kids. I taught children for crying out loud, I don’t need some crazy lady in a flower skirt telling me how to interact with them. I just wanted my kid to interact with other children, and to have a good time. Those classes so aren’t about having a good time. They’re about taking your money because you feel like you should be doing that stuff with your child.

So, I want to know– what thing do you hate that you’re supposed to love?

 

 

 

jamiec Confession Time: I Hated Kindermusik
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12 Responses to “Confession Time: I Hated Kindermusik”

James January 18th, 2012 at 10:05 pm

Shakespeare. I realize that, as a guy who studies literature, especially of the English variety, I’m supposed to be in love with the guy.

I just hate him. I hate his words, I hate his rhythm, I hate his plots, I hate his name, I hate his stupid face. The only thing good about my Shakespeare class in college was that the books we were supposed to be reading were big enough that I could slip something more interesting in there and read it instead.

Also, the professor was pretty awesome, but not enough to dull my intense loathing for The Bard. I forget who said it, but he/she summed it up well: “They say Shakespeare never struck a word. Would that he had struck a thousand.”

/nerdRAEG

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Jamie Harrington January 18th, 2012 at 10:06 pm

haha I LOVE this! The only reason I got through is because of this website– something like shakespearemonkey.com I wonder if it still exists…
Jamie Harrington´s last [type] ..Confession Time: I Hated Kindermusik

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John Millton January 23rd, 2012 at 1:31 pm

Just don’t mind the other parents. They too would think and feel the same way. I bet. How many hours a day do you spend with your kid in this class? I love singing but hate it when I have to sing in public. Those dreadful moments, when you have to prove to your teacher and your classmates that you perfectly have the voice.

Blunt word yet so true Jamie!

-John
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Jamie Harrington Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:33 pm

@John Millton, see, it doesn’t bother me at ALL to sing or make a fool out of myself– in fact, when I taught school, it was my job to lead the entire school in song when a speaker was late for an assembly or whatever.

I think what REALLY bothers me is that I was hanging out with my kid playing and having a good time ALL DAY LONG… why did I need to do it in a controlled, structured setting? Does that even make sense?
Jamie Harrington´s last [type] ..Confession Time: I Hated Kindermusik

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Shell January 23rd, 2012 at 1:40 pm

We did Gymboree. And I always felt like I was being judged b/c my child wanted to PLAY on all the equipment instead of sit in the circle and sing.
Shell´s last [type] ..Erie Drive: Unique Style

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Jamie Harrington Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:42 pm

@Shell, haha yes! Like, they would pull out those instruments, and they would just sit there untouched… even I wanted to play!
Jamie Harrington´s last [type] ..Confession Time: I Hated Kindermusik

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Larissa January 23rd, 2012 at 1:43 pm

I didn’t enjoy Kindermusik either, and I am also a teacher. Basically what that means is, it wasn’t created for parents like us. The ones who already know how to play with our kids. The ones who probably are more in need of a BREAK from our kids than a chance to interact with them. :D

Um, I don’t enjoy reading to my kids. *hides* I teach preschool. I do it ALL FREAKIN DAY. At night, I just want to sit on my couch and forget all children exist–including my own. Sorry. (This is probably more pronounced right now, since my hubs is out of town, and everything is on me.) lol
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Jamie Harrington Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:46 pm

@Larissa, I completely agree… I already KNEW how to play, I would rather someone else do the playing for an hour while I just sit and watch!

For me, it was TEACHING her reading… she was NOT cool with me doing the teaching, and I finally gave up and let her teacher do it. She just did NOT want me in charge of that!
Jamie Harrington´s last [type] ..Confession Time: I Hated Kindermusik

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Jen Stayrook January 23rd, 2012 at 1:50 pm

I’m just like you. I prefer to let my kid just play on his own instead of the structured play time. If he chooses to play with the music instruments, great. If not, great. He’s happier that way.
Jen Stayrook´s last [type] ..Sigh. The kiddo really is getting too big. 
Oh, and have I…

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Jamie Harrington Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:51 pm

@Jen Stayrook, yeah… and if he builds a MEGA INSTRUMENT out of all the little instruments… all the better :)
Jamie Harrington´s last [type] ..Confession Time: I Hated Kindermusik

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E Keane February 7th, 2012 at 1:48 pm

YOUR attitude & willingness to participate and be silly and ENJOY your child affects how much your child will benefit & enjoy activities like this. I also wonder if maybe your teacher was teaching the class improperly, as Kindermusik (just like most activities for young children) isn’t about being structured, its ALL about creativity and NON-performance-based fun. I get that this post is supposed to be taken lightly, but I thought it might be helpful to show the other point of view for those who come across this blog. I would hate for the amount of research and time that has gone into creating Kindermusik curriculum to make it into a very beneficial and educational program (if you let it be!) to go to waste if someone read this and assumed your experience was a common one. :)

Of course, you’re entitled to feel how you will about it, but it sounds like you entered the environment with the wrong attitude and your poor child never had a chance to enjoy & benefit from it because of that. Yes, it’s a parent/child class, but it’s for your child’s benefit. I think you both would’ve gotten more out of it had you researched the program a bit more and understood what it was really all about before signing up.

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Jamie Harrington Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 1:58 pm

@E Keane, heh– no I researched, I knew what it was about. I just know that it was boring as hell. You’d think they could make it a bit more fun, but nope. It was crazy boring, and I get that they’ve worked with top developmentalists to structure the program a certain way and all that. I went in with an extremely open mind, and I had high hopes… but nope, it was just a plain music class with a bland teacher. What can I say?

I hope people see this, real moms that enjoy playing with their children and don’t need to be taught the proper way. Kindermusik is a waste of money–I hate that it plays on parent’s insecurities that they need someone to show them how to teach music to a child.

It’s an unimpressive program at best with half-wit curriculum based on bunk findings. I can sing about a ball going ’round on my own time– and for much less money.
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