It is often tempting to coax your child to demonstrate musical response for Grandma or other loved ones. If there is any chance that your child might respond on command, keep in mind that it is music that will evoke musical response, not your nor Grandma’s charming pleas. It is Tonality and Meter that awaken and compel your child’s musicianship, not words. Talking cannot elicit musical response. Only music can do that. Further, talking distracts your child’s involvement with the music. If you want to elicit your child’s musical response for the delight of a loved one, avoid language altogether and engage fully in Tonal and Rhythm activities. Only when the aural dominates the encounter is there any chance that your child might deliver musical response. Inform Grandma that her running commentary and even her loving praise will prevent musical response, and guide her to understand that your little one’s focused attention to the Tonal and Rhythm activities, it itself, is musical response, with or without your child’s Music Babble. Remember that Grandma likely raised her kids with the old notions that musical response from a little child means responding to the words of the songs.
