Stop and Smell the Roses

Addison stopping to smell the flowers!

It seems I’m always struggling against the rush…the rush to get out the door in the morning, the rush to get to the next appointment, the rush to get through dinner and baths and bedtime. And with my second child, Addison, who always wants to be just like her older sister, there is now the added rush to grow up. It’s easy to get caught in the rush and forget to stop and smell the roses.

After reflecting on our ever-present urge to hurry, I have realized that one of the few remaining islands of unhurried calm in our lives is our participation in Kindermusik…well, if you don’t count the rush to get there on time. With Kindermusik, I’ve never felt pressure to rush from one level to the next. And as Addison got closer and closer to moving on to Imagine That, her first drop-off class, I found myself wanting to stretch it out as long as possible, knowing my time as a parent participant would soon end.

Our older daughter, Jaeden, warms very slowly to new situations. For her, we saw great benefit in giving her the time to experience each level fully before moving on. But, even with Addison, who needs much less time to adjust to new situations, the extra time we stayed in Our Time before moving up to Imagine That was well worth it.

When she started Our Time as an 18-month-old, she watched and listened attentively. As a two-year-old, she cautiously participated, gradually expanding her skills and sense of adventure. But, as a three-and-a-half-year-old, not only could she comfortably do everything, she experienced the responsibility of being a leader. Waiting those extra few months before switching classes solidified her confidence and gave her the ability to participate more fully.

Today, on our way to class, Addison said to me, “I don’t have to be scared to go to my drop-off class. I’m a big girl and I know my teacher. It’s Miss Allison.” Then she hugged me at class, said goodbye, and sat herself down in the circle. I’m glad we waited, even when she towered over all of the other kids in her Our Time class and had been asking to move on. There is comfort for me, as a parent, in knowing that she is truly ready, truly happy, and truly willing to take her next step. So even in all the rush, I am grateful that we remembered to stop and smell the roses just a little longer with Kindermusik. We hope this inspires you to enjoy the roses in your own life and to let go of some of the rush.

- posted by Erika M. Kapur, whose oldest daughter is wishing there was more time to enjoy the roses and this wasn’t her last year of Kindermusik.