Terrible Two's???

Some of my Our Time students are reminding me of a very important reality for children ages 1.5-3 years old: emotional development. The term "terrible two's" comes from the fact that the toddler is learning to regulate her emotions which are often like a storm brewing inside. Although I don't think that the term is justified (I don't think that any stage of human development should be coined as "terrible"), many parents are aware of the reality and are at their wits end (understandably)! Research shows that small conflicts arise for the toddler once every three minutes and larger ones about three times per hour. Whew! Can you imagine what this must be like for them? They often do not have the language skills to communicate their needs which often results in crying or even temper tantrums. My heart is filled with compassion for them. Even though I do not have children of my own, I was a professional nanny for years and have helped many a two year old in this area. Long before I began teaching Kindermusik, I discovered that age appropriate music helps the child to understand and identify his emotions (as it does for adults as well) in a way that mere words cannot. Have you ever felt this sort of release after hearing a piece that seems to express something of your deep caverns within? Have you adopted the words to a favorite song almost as your own because it expresses your interior better than you can? Toddlers need to learn to resolve these conflicts and sort out their emotions and music is a powerful tool in this development! They rely on parents and important caregivers to help them discover and manage this part of themselves which is so abundant, alive, and wonderful! This is why Kindermusik Our Time strives to encourage a partnership between parent and toddler both in class and in the At Home Materials to help the child develop a healthy emotional life. I would propose that we replace the expression "terrible two's" with "terrific two's" because isn't it our emotional lives that partly provide an enriching, meaningful, abundant existence for us human beans? Isn't the toddler on a most wonderful journey, with you as their guide, to experience the richness and delight of being human? Come, Rejoice With Me!