Letter 22: Attention + Engagement, Maestro Classics, Garlic Bread, and art to love.
March/April 2024
Notes from Me
Reading: The authors of The Whole Brain Child assert that being attuned to our children is an indispensable labor. They believe the attention we give our children as we consider their thoughts and emotions amidst a storm, and then the patience we show while guiding them to a safe harbor is massively important in their development.
I learned some basic ways the brain works and some tools for meeting my children where they are. However, in reading this book, I also realized that more I learn to be aware of what is happening in my own interior life, the more I can help my children. The more I develop the skills to regulate my own thoughts and emotions, the better equipped I’ll be to connect with my children and help them move from chaos to order, from immaturity to maturity. Typically, parenting books elicit anxiety and dread in me, but this one left me feeling, “I can do this. I’m going to keep going.” I highly recommend it.
Newsletter: I have enjoyed receiving emails from art enthusiast, George Bothamley, via his site, Art Every Day. I appreciate the way he models paying attention and delighting in art, and he covers a wide swath of artistic styles and eras. I liked his recent post on artist Bruegel’s “Hunters in the Snow.”
“Bruegel’s world- just like life itself - contains all possibilities, all at once.”
Subscribe to his free newsletter here.
Listening: I started listening to the Read Aloud Revival podcast when it began ten years ago. The podcast—and the many books I read as a result—have profoundly shaped our family reading culture. This episode, which samples the show’s ten most popular episodes over the last decade, is a good introduction for anyone wanting to learn more.
With the Boys
Listening: During recent rides to and from baseball practices and swim lessons, my sons and I have listened to the Maestro Classics CDs. I can’t overstate how impactful these CDs have been in our family life. We first listened to Peter and the Wolf and then The Nutcracker about five years ago. Since then, we have replayed them many times and have continued to work our way through the series. This Spring, we listened to The Story of Swan Lake, Bach and the Pipe Organ, My Name is Handel, and The Soldier’s Tale. The boys request them and think they are fun and engaging. Each CD is filled with long samples of music, descriptions of music theory, and details about a composer’s life.
On each CD, gifted storytellers and teachers bring the music to life. Through this series, I have learned many aspects of music and have been trained how to listen closely to the different parts of a musical arrangement.
As a family, many of our bonds come from having a shared storehouse of references. These references flow from books, audio, movies, and art that we have taken in together. Without a doubt, the Maestro Classics have had an outsized impact in populating that storehouse. I highly recommend listening to these musical stories together.
Reading: My six-year-old has loved Syd Hoff’s early readers, Danny and the Dinosaur, Sammy the Seal, and Oliver. The highly saturated illustrations are engaging and the storylines are simple and playful.
Memorizing: Here is a poem that my sons and I have learned together. We like the way Ms. Greenfield reads her poem on the Hip-Hop Speaks to Children CD. It is in her collection of poems called “Honey, I Love.”
“Things” by Eloise Greenfield
Went to the corner
Walked in the store
Bought me some candy
Ain't got it no more
Ain't got it no more
Went to the beach
Played on the shore
Built me a sandhouse
Ain't got it no more
Ain't got it no more
Went to the kitchen
Lay down on the floor
Made me a poem
Still got it
Still got it.
In the Kitchen
Eating: I have followed Deb Perelman’s “Perfect Garlic Bread” instructions for about a year now. I usually make her butter/garlic/spice/cheese mixture ahead of time and then spread it on the sliced baguettes a broil them a few minutes before dinner is ready to be served. I usually use parmesan cheese powder. I’ve tried her recipe with various breads (Italian loaf, whole wheat, extra seedy baguette, etc.) and it’s good every time.
Small Joy
I recently learned about Grandma Moses, an artist who began her career at age 78. I love what I’ve seen of her work so far, and I can’t wait to learn more about her.
Until next time,
Susie
P.S.
Try to stay grumpy while listening to this song.
This is my favorite of your Roundups yet, Susie. I’ve got almost every link open in my tabs and pulled The Whole Brain Child off my bookshelf. That was such a helpful read when my kids were younger and I think I’d get a lot out of another skim now.
Loved reading this! Your vocabulary and clarity make reading it a pleasure. The art and photos sprinkled throughout are perfect.