Before there was language, there was music: synchronized movement & sound. . Why synchronized? Because rhythm brings us together in time (to the beat), and in emotion (emotional synchrony, or empathy). RHYTHM CONNECTS US, and enables true cooperation.
And yes I’m sharing the music and spiritual leadership of Baba Ras D because he has been teaching antiracism to our children and communities for decades... but I’m also choosing him because he represents the original instrument (after the human body & voice) to bring us together in rhythmic synchrony: the drum.
(Look how my daughter didn’t want to drum on this day, so she just put herself beside him to feel the rhythm and receive connection? To me, that’s music!)
So for those of you who are working on building antiracism skills in your children and your home, I’m not being metaphorical when I say LEARN TO MAKE MUSIC TOGETHER—I mean it quite literally.
Your child needs to learn to empathy and cooperation through rhythm arts so that their brain has those skills in life.
And for advanced-level skills, they need to *experience AND PRACTICE the complex rhythms of the world, which not only increase cultural literacy and love of beauty... but also just optimize brain functioning and stave off disease*.
THE BRAIN EVOLVED FOR RHYTHM, BECAUSE RHYTHM ENABLES CONNECTION AND COOPERATION.
Now that you are working on building antiracism skills and supporting Optimal Brain Growth, tell me: what rhythm skills does your child have? Do they dance when a good beat comes on? Do they listen and respond to their ensemble members? So they have an ear for the sophisticated rhythms of Africa, Latin America, India? ALL👏🏽 OF👏🏽 THIS👏🏽 is practice for antibias and empathy!
#theseareskills #rhythm #brainscience #findrhythmbuildconnection #musicforgrowingbrains #musicforbraindevelopment #optimalbraingrowth #growingbrains #rhythmiskey #antiracism #antiracistchildren #kidsmakemusic #listening #cooperation #empathy #dcartists #dcmusic #dckids #dcparents #parentingforgrowingbrains #youarenotalone #imhereforyou #parentcoach #brainbasedparenting