As a parent, you know automatically that certain times of the day are almost certain to provoke a lot of whingeing and whining. I'm sure every parent on Earth utters the words "come on then, time to get your hair brushed" with a heavy heart, knowing that those fateful words will be met with grumbling, hiding in the cupboard or even a full-blown temper tantrum !
I haven't yet reached the terrible twos with Pierre but he's just had his first birthday so I'm sure it won't be too far away. Even now, sometimes he doesn't want to finish his dinner so I use the old favourites of "here comes the aeroplane, open wide ... now it's a train, choo choo, into the tunnel" ! Making it into a game invariably makes him smile and play along so that he forgets about being grumpy or uncooperative.
And that's exactly the idea behind the Tunes 4 Toddler Tantrums CD that we were recently sent to review. The ten songs cleverly address those essential but hotly-contested moments of your child's day : brushing their teeth, brushing their hair, tidying up, getting in to the pushchair, going to bed, changing their nappy, eating their meal, having a bath, getting shoes/coats on. However angelic your child may be most of the time, there's sure to be at least one of those that gets you nodding knowingly and groaning inwardly !
I played the CD in the car for the first time yesterday and Pierre immediately smiled and clapped his hands and the girls started joining in with the choruses, despite this being the first listen. I commented to my husband that they reminded me of CBeebies songs, which made perfect sense when I read a bit more about the CD and its creator. "The Tunes 4 Toddler Tantrums CD is the only one of its kind on the market, and has been written and produced by Victoria Arlidge, a composer with BAFTA and EMMY-nominated TV credits to her name for her work on Animal Antics on Channel 5’s Milkshake and Channel 5 documentary Umbrella Assassin. In total she has composed the music for more than 240 children’s television programmes." That explains why they sound so instantly familiar and catchy.
The words are really easy to pick up so you'll be able to use the songs when you're out and about without the CD after listening to it a few times. The CD is really appealing to kids, who love joining in with the singing and actions, but is also parent-friendly - there's nothing too raucous or headachey, the singing is pleasant and the musical styles and instruments change each time so it's not too repetitive.
As I always say, the best baby and child products are always created by real parents and this is another prime example. Victoria explains : “Being a real believer in the powerful effects of music, I wondered why there wasn’t anything on the market to help parents specifically deal with tantrums, a CD that could turn that negative energy in to musical fun and games. So I decided to produce my own.”
Educational psychologist Sonya Hinton says that singing promotes co-operation between parent and child, which is important in diffusing the temper. “Tunes 4 Toddler Tantrums with its catchy tunes, engaging animal characters and repetition is a delight for children and parents alike” she says. “As a sing-along it prompts interaction between parents and their infants, encouraging their communication, sense of self-efficacy and independence and above all co-operation.
Anything that can transform the beginnings of a tantrum into a moment of fun and laughter has to be a winner in my eyes !
star rating : 5/5
Tunes 4 Toddler Tantrums is available from http://www.tunes4toddlertantrums.co.uk/ and costs £9.99
Video clips of Victoria using the songs at home with her own children can be viewed at:
Mealtimes – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V_C2dKb4Is&feature=channel
Getting dressed – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWUl3l8jZoA&feature=channel
Tidy up – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLkn46H0KI4&feature=channel
The lyrics to the songs are available at http://www.tunes4toddlertantrums.co.uk./lyrics.php
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