By Kathryn Brunner, Owner and Founder of Musik at Home.
I know the long hours you’re putting in. You are doing everything you can to LOVE your family well! E.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. You and only you are all things to all your family members. AND. At the same time, your kids want more of you, your home calls for more of you, the needs you want to meet outside the home are countless…What more can you give when you’re already giving your all and beyond?
I know because I am there myself. Some days are awesome. And some are NOT! Today we almost got kicked out of the post office because both of my girls were screaming at the top of their lungs. I could blame it on the line being way too long… or the fact that they were hungry. But, when push comes to shove, life with little ones is not only busy, it's just plain frantic sometimes… most times!
In all that I’m juggling, I’m always struggling with the thought “Am I there for my kids the way they need me?” It goes something like this: I mentally assess how things are going. Depending on how much time I’ve spent with them, I feel great or I feel awful. Then, I move on to the next momentary decision and hope for the best in the next few hours. Sound familiar at all?
When I think about what my kids want and need most, it comes down to one thing. It’s not another toy, or [another] trip to Disney. It’s just simply put -- quality TIME. Not just quality time with anyone that can give it to them. They want time with ME, their parent. They want my complete attention as much as possible. With that time, they want me to PLAY with them! Focused, intentional all-out play time!
You know the drill. If you’re geared up to play a board game with your child and then the phone rings…. you answer the call midway through game set up (In my house - it always happens during set up – not even when the game is yet in full swing!), your little will do whatever it takes to get you back in the game. If your toddler wants to go outside to play with you and you’re wrapping up a few household odds and ends, your toddler will do whatever it takes to get the message across that it’s TIME to play!
We all get it. Quality, focused time with our little ones is so often hard to come by. Yet, we know that our undistracted time goes a long way for their hearts. It fills up the mommy-tank every little one has inside. For me, it’s the focused playtime that helps me with the daily mommy guilt (though I realize mommy-guilt can be a much deeper issue than this). It’s not necessarily about quantity, but the quality time when I’m ALL-IN!
Play can happen in a million and one ways, but musical play is especially amazing for deepening the bond we have with our wee ones! I have found an awesome outlet for spending quality time with my kids through my own classes at Musik at Home. I know it sounds strange because I’m the instructor on camera, but I actually do the videos at home with my kids too. We have an area of our home that is easily turned into space for the classes. Our instruments are easy to grab when we start the videos. Every time I go through a class with my kids, I am literally in awe of the joy that fills the room... and in turn, our hearts!
For my baby, I’ll turn on a class after nap time when she’s a bit more clingy. She loves the time spent dancing, singing and bouncing with me. She’s close to me. She has all of my attention. Life doesn’t get any better in her little world! It’s only 8-10 minutes of time, but it’s time we both cherish! Little does she know that her musicality is going to be off the charts with all the music we’re doing at home (This is what research shows! More music in the early years equals stronger musicality). It’s a small gift of time. It’s an incredible gift to her overall development.
When my baby is taking her morning nap, my preschooler and I jump into music class videos too a few times a week! For her, the world is a gigantic playground for the imagination! 
The music helps bring her imagination to life in bouncy, jumpy, joyful ways! When she is moving, she’s learning! Once the class video is turned on, she knows she is going to have my full attention during those 12-20 minutes. It’s thrilling to see her sing along with me, repeat my rhythm and tonal patterns, and tap to the steady beat. Her overall development is being strengthened every time we go through a class together.
I am so excited about sharing Musik at Home with you because the invitation is here for you to experience this focused, developmentally tailored, quality time with your child too! It’s the little investments of time that count. If you pick one morning or one night a week to be “Musik at Home” night, you’re rockin’ and rollin’ into quality time and musical development! You get to partner with me to see maximum results in the time you spend with your little one!
On a good day, maybe, just maybe there will be some quiet and calm moments of serenity in there for you too! 
There are plenty of soothing, rocking songs for catching your breath in the midst of a busy day. That’s my hope for you, dear mama! Your little one will feel your love in the moments of musical quiet as well as the joyful moments of musical movement.
Cross off the mommy guilt for today! We’re investing in our little one’s heart, mind and musical future. It’s hard to be all things to all family members. But, I know you’re like me, giving all you can to each one! If we miss a beat or skip a day that’s ok! Tomorrow is a new day to make space for quality, focused playtime.
Whether I'm at work all day or home all day, I need go-to, easy solutions for spending quality time with my kids. Musik at Home provides just that!
If you’re wondering how you’ll be able to take your little one through the class videos with your child’s unique personality and needs, please see my PDF “How to Succeed” in class in Musik at Home.
How do you balance the daily need for spending time with your kids vs. spending time on the tasks that are always calling your name?
Thank you for expressing exactly what I feel everyday with my kids. I really do want to spend quality time with them but I am pulled in so many directions that it’s hard to keep my focus only on them in the small moments I actually do have with them. I’m excited about your program and look forward to getting some focused time in with my kids while we go through your classes! Thank you for what you’re doing!