Last week I published an episode,  reflecting on children in wars, in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Trying  to foster hope in my heart and inquire what I can do in times like these.
Sparks of hopes for me are reading wisdom words:

§ Our purpose does not lie in a movement to create professional musicians, but to create people of beautiful minds and fine ability through an unparalleled, uniquely musical approach. We engage in human education through music so that children will grow beautifully with high sensitivity. - Dr Shinichi Suzuki

§ To teach the arts to children is nothing less than to be charged with their destiny. -Dr Katoaka

§ This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.  -Leonard Bernstein.

You can listen to more in episode # 52 of The  Souloist Podcast

"Every child has an unlimited potential", said Dr Shinichi Suzuki.
So, how do we motivate children to do their work - practice their instrument, do their homework, help in the house etc.
Do we need to motivate them?
Anything we learn needs encouragement and acknowledgement, in order to make us want to repeat it. 
When we want our children to have the desire to do learn, play and practice, we have to reflect on  our role in it. 
Love and desire are necessary  to acquire ability. 
The thirst to learn is innate in every child. We don't need to create it, but we need to make sure we don't harm it. 
How can we allow it to grow and continue to develop?
Self motivation might be the key here. Self motivation comes with self discipline. 
When children become self motivated it transfer to other areas in their life. It becomes a part of their character.
" Man is a son of his environment", Shinichi Suzuki.
If art and  music are in the environment , children will naturally  absorb the love for it. 
When a parent asks, "how can I help my child love doing this", the answer will be, " love it yourself".  
The way you approach the practice will be the way your child approaches the practice. 
Like what you want your child to like. Invest the love, and trust that it will be in the heart of your child. 

One of my favourite quotes:
“A seed is planted in the earth. We don’t see when the germination begins.That is the doing of Mother Nature. We have to wait patiently.We cannot dig up the seed to see wheatear it is really growing; to do so would be to destroy everything. Suddenly a bud appears. What a joy and pleasure to watch it grow! At the same time the root, unseen in the ground, is getting stronger and has the power to produce a big, sturdy tree”. (Shinichi Suzuki, Nurtured by Love)

Love and nurture the seed with curiosity and wait to marvel in the flower or tree. 
Don't judge day by day. keep the big picture in your heart. Believe in your child. 

You could listen to this topic on The Souloist Podcast episode  #51
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Very often you hear about 'Suzuki Parenting', 'Parent Education' and 'Parental Involvement'  mentioned in the same breath that Suzuki Music is mentioned. 
Why is it so important? or Is it really that important?

The short answer is YES. The long answer is YEEEESS. 
Parents are the first teachers in children's lives. 
They are the one that are always there from the beginning ( and prior to the beginning,  during pregnancy).

The role of parents is pivotal. 
We will cover these in more blogs and vlogs in the future. 
Today I'd like to leave you with this - anything that is in children's environment, will become an important part of their upbringing. 
If a child grows up in a home that listens to classical music, the child will respond to classical music naturally. 
 Mozart was raised in a family like this. Everyone played music.  And it was only natural that little Wolfang wanted to make music too.
(No, I'm not suggesting that everyone who listens to music will become Mozart... just making a point here on the topic of environment).

Dr Suzuki's words "Man is a son of his environment" say it all. 
Parents are environment. Teachers are environment. 
Parents and teacher together create an important and influential model for the child. 

So in Suzuki Talent Education parents' role is crucial. 

We are now in week 5 of 6 week online Parent Course - "Nurtured with love - Parents first", and we are about to start a 4-week online course for teachers, on parent education. 
 "Nurture the parent - Nurture the child"  will cover everything teachers need to know ( or at least the important ones...) about working with parents in the learning program.

 I managed to stay out of sweets and carbs for a whole day. Yes, this might be the day of starting a diet ( towards getting lighter) and keeping it until my body says, "thank you, dear ".
i went to bed happy and satisfied with the achievement.
Then came the dream . i was eating a yeast chocolate cake. It was DELICIOUS. While eating it i knew that i was not supposed to eat it... There was the familiar hidden guilt lurking with its hissing voice, "don't ! don't".. i did not listen. i ate until i was satisfied. And then came the haunting thought "i shouldn't have"  "why did i" ... i woke up while it was still night, with droplets of self betrayal, only to realise it was a dream! i had the scrumptious aftertaste of the cake without eating it !!  i found my  new diet!  My dream diet !

How to maintain our sanity in our busy -overwhelming world. We still have our inner resources to claim and create our own sanctuary whenever needed.