We spent part of our morning with Big Bird on Sesame Street as he celebrated "opera day." Everyone on the show was encouraged to sing everything they said. My toddler was delighted. It all made perfect sense to her because we often "do opera" at our house.
Opera singing is perfectly suited to the homeschool lifestyle, where noisy, unscheduled behavior can sometimes be a blessing, especially when it is used to:
- express joy,
- build teamwork,
- relieve tension, and
- diffuse tense situations.
In real opera, all the dialogue is sung. There are passages when backstory is delivered through a "recitative," when a character (or characters) say a lot of stuff about what's going on, in one, long, singing paragraph. When you first attend an opera, this seems a little strange and unrealistic... perhaps even annoying. But if the performers are good enough, and the plot compelling enough, you gradually accept it and even welcome the flow it brings to the storyline.
Similarly, at home, my children have come to accept and even welcome operatic moments in the home, even when opera is delivering messages they don't want to hear.
For example, yesterday my 18-year-old reminded me that we had financial forms to fill out to go along with a college application. Frankly, I am SO DONE filling out this paperwork. I wanted him to take on the responsibility for himself. He resisted my "assignment" of the task, until I burst into song about how "I don't wanna fill out forms no more" (borrowing heavily from a broadway belter's tune in The Drowsy Chaperone -- not exactly opera, but noisy and boisterous in its own right). He even replied by singing his objections; the music became louder as we "operatically argued," but we were smiling the whole time and even laughing when one or the other made a good rhyme or musical turn.
Best of all, I got my point across. In the end, he did the work himself, and he didn't mind. Instead of arguing, we did opera, and we both felt pretty good about it.
Toddlers respond especially well to operatic overtures. My four-year-old can be in a stubborn state but become laughing and cooperative when we sing through the problem.
If this sounds like fun to you (or even if sounds crazy, but you're willing to try it), here are some suggestions:
- Sing it like you mean it! This is not the time to be quiet. Volume and flourish will add to the comedic effect of what you're trying to do.
- No rhyming required. If it happens, terrific. But it's often funnier if it doesn't, so don't worry about it.
- Choose a familiar tune, and "operatize it" when you're getting started. Even "Mary Had a Little Lamb" can sound dramatic if you've got enough volume, drama, and vibrato behind it.
- Don't worry about your singing voice. In fact, a bad singing voice can be an asset! Not only does it give permission to others to try raising their voices in song, it can be pretty darned funny. It signals, "anything goes here." It shows your vulnerability and openness to hearing what they have to say or sing.
- Make sure what you sing doesn't carry a sting. Don't belittle or mock your kids with your song. If you poke fun at anyone, let it be yourself.
- Don't forget to deliver your point, even if it's a "no" the kids don't want to hear
- Feel free to sing over top of someone else, even if/especially if your viewpoints clash. This happens in real opera all of the time! Usually we end up laughing as we try to outsing each other. Somehow the oppostion seems less important than the "moment" you just shared as you let your songs battle each other.
If you have a tough day in your homeschool, try putting an operatic spin on it, and see how it works for you.
What off-the-wall strategies do you use in your home to lighten a mood and/or get your point across? I'd love to see your responses under "comments."
