Grandbaby #1 was saturated with four meters since birth. He heard his first Rhythm Syllables at 1 year 7 months. He responded to Grammy’s chanting on Rhythm Syllables with, “bah bah bah,” as if to say, “I know what you are chanting.”
At 2 years 3 months, this child often insisted that his parents play CCS Online Activities with Rhythm Syllables, which he requested as “du di das.” One evening while babysitting, Grammy had the child in the bathtub. She poured water from a pitcher to a funnel, chanting Triple meter in syllables. The child requested the same again and again. After several rounds with Triple meter, Grammy switched to Duple. When the child asked for more, Grammy asked if he wanted “du da di” or “du de du.” He was so comfortable with Rhythm Syllables that his choice of “du de du” was like choosing red over yellow.
On the telephone at a later point in time, Grammy quoted Grandchild #1’s chanting in Rhythm Syllables to a son, not aware that Grandchild #2 was listening. Immediately, Grandchild #2, 1 year 9 months, started chanting “du de du.” Grammy continued the Dialogue, getting responses of “du de du” and “du de du de,” only to realize that the child had not yet been introduced to Rhythm Syllables in the Online Classes. She was in Class 6 and Rhythm Syllables didn’t begin until Class 7. The child was only 21 months old, yet fully “ready” to engage with Rhythm Syllables.
By 24 months, Grandchild #2 was well into Rhythm Syllables. One night, after Dad tried for two hours to get her to go to sleep, the clever child began chanting “du de du, du de du,” hoping that might allow her to stay awake. Dad’s response? “That is wonderfully developmental during normal office hours!”
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