Stay Connected with InJoy Music

Missing our posts? You’re not the only one. It seems only about 10% of the people connected to our studio on Facebook see our posts on any given day.  We post frequently, sharing studio news, vacation/studio closing information, fun pics and videos from class, and more! However, Facebook reveals to us that on any given post – only a handful of you see our pictures and updates in your newsfeed.  To see if you have missed any, you may want to check out page (BUT COME BACK — THERE IS MORE TO READ)- https://www.facebook.com/injoymusicllc.

For those of you who want to be sure to see these posts every time – you need to keep their algorithm in mind – this is what controls whether our update appears to you.  The more love you show our page, the more Facebook thinks you want to see our page.   It is based on your frequency of interaction with our updates. The more you click on a post/site/link the more likely you will see the next post.

To increase the frequency you see our posts you should:

  • Like on every post from our studio when you see them.
  • Comment on the posts when you see them.
  • From a desktop computer, looking at one of our posts click the gray “down arrow” in the upper right hand corner (of the post). It will pull down a list. At the top of the list is Get Notifications. Click on that.  This will make sure you don’t miss any of our posts. 

If you are not on Facebook, you can still see all of our updates by visiting the page directly, http://www.facebook.com/injoymusicllc.

We want to make sure we make it easy for you to stay connected to the studio during the week, we hope this helps you remain an active part of our online InJoy community.

Because “MOM” upside down is “WOW”

The following post came across our Facebook feed via a fellow mom (and current Simply Music family). It resonated with us, so we asked for permission to share it with you. Parenting is hard work. We appreciate the opportunity to be a part of your week– no matter what kind of week you’re having. We hope that in addition to connecting with your child during your weekly Kindermusik class, you’re also able to connect with other adults who support, sympathize, and laugh with you. Smile, Mama.  You’re doing a great job.

On Being a Mom …

by Jai Wallace Tracy (Notes) on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 3:37pm

Sometimes I think Facebook is the worst thing to have happened to a mom. Well, Facebook and smart phones.

Think about it. Because of these two inventions, you can now get a look at the life of every mom you call “friend.” AND it’s all delivered instantly right to your phone. Now moms have a front-row seat to all the cookie-baking and paint projects and plenty of time to judge their own mothering skills against such. We see the handmade paper chains decorating the Christmas tree across town, and suddenly our own Target ornaments seem way too trite. The next thing you know, we’re freaked out that our own kids are going to become resentful of the handmade ornament kids, join a ornament-hating gang, rob a Hallmark store and end up in jail serving 5 to 10. So Target mom says to ornament mom, “Why can’t you just take it down a notch????”

But it goes the other way, too. Ornament mom looks at Target mom with raised eyebrow and says, “Can’t you up your game just a bit?”

Ouch. How did we get here? Facebook? Smart phones? Maybe.

Before our lives became so easily promoted and quickly communicated, we were all in our homes doing our own thing. Coloring ornaments or opening a box. Baking cookies or opening a box. Doing life handmade or opening a box. And nobody knew, and really nobody cared. Because we were all making it work best way we knew how. Our kids were loved, and that was all that mattered.

Until we saw the way SHE was doing it. In color Instagram photos splayed across her timeline. And suddenly, what was right for us became less than. Or what was right for us became right for everyone. So our days become full of self-deprecating or self-righteous status updates as we searched for some sort of validation — something, ANYTHING — to let us know we’re doing ok.

Wait — maybe that’s it. Maybe I have it wrong. Could it be that social media and technology have just given voice to what we mommas have wondered all along — am I a good enough??? Well, I’m here to tell you. Yes, you are. You’re a good mom. Better, you’re a rockstar mom. How do I know? Because I know you.

Yes, you.

The one who feels guilty for going through the drive-thru for the third time this week. And you, the one who makes sure there are vegetables at every meal. And you, the one who buys birthday treats at the grocery store on the way to school. And you, the one who stayed up literally all night decorating birthday cookies. You for whom “art project” means markers (on a good day) and a coloring book. And you Pinterest addict whose kids are always covered in paint.

You are an amazing mother.

You’re crafty. You hate playdough. You serve chicken nuggets. You raise chickens. You read every food label. You serve artificially flavored and colored cereal for breakfast. You homeschool. You public school. You have spotless floors. You are trying even now to remember the last time you mopped. You work. You stay at home. You make beds. You make messes. You turn on Dora. You don’t own a television. You make stuff. You buy stuff.

You live in big houses and little house with lots of kids or one kid with dogs and cats and wooden toys and noisy toys and candy and fruit, and you drive mini vans and SUVs while wearing snot-stained sweats or wedge heels and you do it absolutely beautifully, and your children adore you because you were made to be their mom.

Yes, you. No one can do this thing better than you. Fight for that. Contend for it. Remember it on your worst days and your best days. And when you see HER doing her thing, high-five her. Thumbs up her. (Because trust me, she needs that today.) And when you give her props, do it without losing yourself. Without doubting yourself.

No one can do this better than you. No one.

So go ahead and post your picture of your kids eating hand-ground, organic beef burgers. And you post yours of your kids opening their Happy Meals. And I pledge look (with non-judgmental eyes) beyond the food to see the sweet, little face in the background.

And I promise I will smile and think, “That kid has an awesome mom.”

(Thanks to Kristen Ricker for sharing the post with us.)

We Love Kindermusik Week

We Love KindermusikAt InJoy Music, February 11-16th is all about love. All Kindermusik classes will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with special songs, activities, and a Valentine card exchange. In addition, we are declaring next week “We Love Kindermusik” week. We love Kindermusik and our Kindermusik families so much that we are going to add 2 contests to the fun.

From February 11th through February 16th, we want to hear from you. Why do you love Kindermusik? Why do you make it a part of your child’s week? Your answer will earn you an entry (or more!) into our free-month-of-tuition giveaway. Visit our Facebook Page and post to our wall about why you love Kindermusik. You’ll be automatically entered into the drawing. Want more opportunities to win? Really show us the love by posting why you love Kindermusik and attaching a photo (2 entries) or posting why you love Kindermusik and including a video (3 entries). (Posts must be made by February 16th at midnight to be eligible.)

We’ll also be sponsoring an I Love Kindermusik Coloring Contest at the studio. This week in classes (during your Valentine’s Day class), your educator will hand out a coloring sheet.  Have your little Picasso color and decorate the picture and bring it back to class before February 28th.  One lucky artist will receive a one-month-free-tuition certificate, so don’t forget to write your child’s name on the picture.