You were born to shine...

I’ve got a fire in my belly over this one.

Last term I had the wonderful opportunity to spend time with my son and his buddy class for their music component. And one week, we were waiting for the year 6’s to join us, and I started a little convo with the kindy kids. It went like this:

Me: “Who here thinks their voice matters?”

Them: (crickets) 2 hands slowly lifted.

Me: “Wait… who here thinks their voice DOESN”T matter?”

Them: Majority of class raises hands.

I side glanced the teacher and was ready to roll into the biggest spiel on why their voice mattered. But first I asked some clarifying questions: what made them feel this way? when did you not get listened to?

And being kindy kids - their answers varied from: my mum didn’t listen to I am too shy to speak up, my siblings speak for me, to no-one cares what I want. … ok so that lit something in me. And it’s WHY I know, that I know that I know that I know - my work matters!

Seeing this in real time was just the reminder I needed - teaching kids their voice holds intrinsic value creates a huge impact and a huge ripple effect and I love that I get to be that person to hold space with! It’s the best!!!

Kids voices matter they need to be heard.

They need to be validated.

They need to know there are safe space for them to express themselves and be accepted for all their quirks, favs and idiosyncracies!

These beautiful young little minds are ready to be shaped.

And what we say and do creates a root that over time sinks in and grows something: flowers or weeds.

Singing for me is this way of giving them a tool for life to be able to express, to be able to trust themselves, to be able to see that they are capable of literally anything! That the world is their oyster and boy, oh boy are they the pearl!.

So if you’re a part of the furniture or your new here, thanks for being here and championing with me what I believe is a very very important cause: kids voices matter.

Your voice matters.

And singing can be one of the most wonderful pathways to get there.