This week was a fun week singing with my groups. We played, "Christmas in July" a few times which was fun. What I love about these people is that they do not question it when I start singing, "Joy to the World, " --they just sing right along. No one stops and says, "Hey, it's July--it's not time to sing that yet." With one group of adults with special needs, we sing in a big room and it can be hard for them to hear me and it can get chaotic at times. So I found that singing Christmas songs got their attention! Everyone knows and loves the songs and it is a good way to get everyone back on the same page. I enjoy watching the staff's reactions to this as they walk by. Many of them smile and sing right along. It changes the mood in the room. I would not do this all the time but something about singing these songs during the hottest time of the year brings us a breath of fresh air. Something about doing what is not expected makes the doing of it more fun.
Then there was the case of laughing out of control in one group. We were singing, "Polly Wolly Doodle" when Miss Dorothy started laughing non stop. Every time we'd start to sing a new verse, she'd start up again. Next thing you know, those sitting next to her started laughing too, then me too. When we finally finished the song I asked, "Miss Dorothy, are you laughing about the song?" Then she burst out again, "Polly Wolly Doodle!" she howled with tears of laughter streaming down her face. One of the staff members next to her looked at her with surprise and laughed too. This outburst led us to talk about times when we all laughed when we were not supposed to. Or when we got in trouble from laughing in school or something. It was a lot of fun. We've all been there.
I love how the groups I see bond over these moments and music is the bridge. Have you sung any Christmas songs lately?
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