The answer to this question will depend on many factors, including your daily schedule, your child’s age, how many children you have, your personality, and your commitment to your child’s music learning.  There are as many ways to incorporate Come Children, Sing! into your child’s life as there are children!  If you work best on a schedule, you may find that scheduling a specific time for Come Children, Sing! will work best for you.  If you prefer flexibility to scheduling, you may find that turning to Come Children, Sing! when the spirit moves you works best for you.  There will be times when you cannot adhere to your chosen “routine,” and might question whether a week’s vacation to Grandma’s is going to hold back your child’s music development.

Learning music is like learning a second language.  When in doubt about the time you have allotted for music activity with your child, pose your questions as if they were about learning French, for example, and the answers you seek will become more obvious.  How much “immersion in French” is enough?  Would once a week for a half hour do it?  Ten minutes daily?  Can we take a month off?  What if we only get to it once every two or three weeks?  Ask yourself how well your child might learn French in any of those situations.

There are no absolute answers, but here are some guidelines for music learning.  Make time for Come Children, Sing! at least once a week, starting with at least ten minutes for the three activities, extending the period for as long as your child is interested.  Revisit the activities at any time to calm a fussy child, stimulate a contented child, provide quality togetherness or give you a little space, to help fill up the day, to connect with your child while you are multitasking, or just to play.  The more you integrate Come Children, Sing! into your child’s day to day life, the more your child will grow as a musician, and the more comfortable you will become nurturing your child’s music development.  You will find that your child’s attention to the tonal and rhythm activities will grow, with greater interest in repeated hearings and successive activities from previous lessons.  You will find yourself using the songs and chants at the changing table, in the car, and in play.  Make Come Children, Sing! portable with a CD or iPod, and take it anywhere.  Make music learning a regular part of your child’s life and music will become a “second language” for both of you.