GIVE 71: A Christmas Carol
Christmas Carols with KatieMy son and I take a weekly music class together with a program called Music Together. It’s a program that is offered in 25 countries around the world and teaches children about music through instruments, rhythm, song, and dance. I laugh at myself on a regular basis as I will catch myself singing a little song to get Nicolas, my son much of the time.
We have a song to brush his teeth, get his pajamas on and even to help us both to clean up his toys at the end of the day. My favourite time to turn on some music is while Nic and I are making dinner together. It seems to keep us both sane through the “witching hour.”
Our brilliant music teacher Katie (also a Mom) always encourages us to bring our children together outside of our class to do music as a group but we are all so busy and are focusing on all the other activities in our lives we don’t seem to have the time to do it. This holiday season I wanted to get as many families together as we could to have a Music Together Christmas Carol. Some of my best memories as a child are singing all the holiday songs. What better way to get us all together and do a little giving at the same time.
GIVE 71 / Day 71
Today I am hosting a special Christmas carolling music time at my house. I wanted to get everyone into the holiday spirit by teaching our kids some holiday songs they can enjoy over the season and at the same time help a Mother here on the North Shore of Vancouver that could use a little support over the holiday season.
The Mother we are supporting is part of an organization called Spectrum. This not-for-profit organization supports Mothers that have taken on the responsibility of raising their children and are finding it hard to manage either financially and/ or emotionally. Spectrum is committed to supporting and motivating mothers in any way that will help them sustain a healthy family life.
Let’s be serious, it is hard enough to raise children when you have the means and resources but if you are on your own with no family or friends to support you along the way, it is extremely difficult to keep it together. So our families are going to help a family that has many daily challenges we will never experience. She is a mother of 2 boys, both with serious mental health issues and has a baby girl of just 8 months old she is trying to bring up with some normalcy. She needs a few people to step up to help over this holiday season to provide cloths, food and holiday gifts for her children.
I am pleased and proud to say all the families that attended the music party today were so gracious and generous. We have enough cloths for the children and many gifts for under the tree. It may be a daily GIVE that took a little more time on my part but it was all worth it to see our children sing and dance to the sounds of the holiday and knowing that we all came together to provide the support and help of another family that needed us all.
A special thank you to Katie Brock who donated her time today to support our musical giving endeavor. Katie not only teaches with the Music Together program but has her own business doing at home parties just like this one. ( a great birthday party addition as well!) You can contact Katie directly through her company “Sing With Me” at [email protected].
As well to all the Mom’s and kids that participated in this special event. I feel the holiday spirit in my heart and have had the opportunity to teach my son a little more about the spirit of giving.
Time Commitment: A number of hours preparation and party time for all our benefit
Cost: Snacks and goodies for everyone and cloths for the family