Music Class

 

 Here is Jack in the middle of music class doing the "scarf dance". I find our music class to be a fascinating study in Jack's personality. First of all, every time we are in the car he begs for the "CD" of the kids' music from class. He always wants to listen to the CD and must enjoy the songs even though he doesn't necessarily smile or sing along with it. Then there's the class.

 When we arrive he gets completely quiet and somewhat clingy. He sits in my lap while we sing and shake the maracas. And he stares. And I mean STARES at the teacher and the shakers. While the other kids are shaking their maracas and looking around and smiling, Jack is studying the teacher with a blank gaze and barely participating. His friend is copying the teacher and lifting them up and banging them on the ground and following directions. Jack is still staring at the teacher and occasionally offering a shy smile when she does something funny. Next we usually do a dance where I can get him to stand and watch us dance but he generally doesn't move around. Again, stands and observes. Then all the drums and percussion comes out and he'll run to the middle to retrieve some drums and starts banging on them. Finally he warms up. Then when we are almost done with our hour, he usually decides it's okay to participate and talk and exude some kind of emotion.

Yesterday we did a (superhero) scarf dance at the end of class and Jack was FINALLY into it. Success!

 

When it was all over he looked at me and very quietly asked "dance?" Sadly I had to tell him that class was over but that maybe we could dance next week.