Preschoolers and Peace - Memory CD Testimony

Memory CD Testimony • Aug. 8, 2007

I received this email recently and knew it had to be shared. Mystie's story has lit a fire under me to get going on some new CDs for my little ones!

Kendra,

I've been doing circle time with my two boys since my oldest was 2 1/2,
ever since I saw the suggestion on preschoolersandpeace.com. We were
working on Psalm 1 and the Catechism for Young Children. However, we got
out of our groove while we were in the process of moving, I was in the
first trimester, and then our renovations of the house we bought got
delayed and we were living in chaos -- and no kitchen -- for a month.
So, things were crazy and memory stuff didn't get worked on. I
remembered your suggestion for recording a "Mommy CD" and so as I was
putting together goals and a plan for this coming year, I made a CD with
everything I wanted to accomplish in the next year or year and a half:
the entire catechism (145 questions), the Apostle's Creed, the Ten
Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, Psalm 139, and a few others. Then I
filled the rest of the CD with songs and stories. My oldest has been
listening to it for a month during his quiet time and we began our new
routine last week. We hadn't hardly worked on the Apostle's Creed before
and he was saying it by himself on the second day; not only that, but he
had also vastly improved on his catechism answers, just by hearing it
every day. Today I decided to introduce the next three questions and
answers (Q&A 31-33) and he immediately answered them and only needed a
little help with his pronunciation! So I decided to keep going to see
just how much he'd already picked up and he got through Q&A 138 before
requesting to stop and use the bathroom. :) He needed some promptings on
quite a few (especially reciting the Ten Commandments) but only
completely missed 7.

Ok, so I'm bragging to you and I don't even know you and you don't know
me, but I just wanted to tell you that I am very grateful for your
suggestions on preschoolersandpeace.com and suggest to you that you
emphasize that Mommy CD more, because it really works! Also, ever since
I made it for him, he's been eager for quiet time and doesn't complain
about going down. Some days he even asks at 10 in the morning if he can
go take his quiet time and listen to his CD. :) Now I'm starting to
think I might have to buy a little CD player for my 2-year-old and make
him a CD, too. :)

Thank you!

Mystie
pelennorfields.com/mystie

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Sharing Thoughts

Great idea! - Aug. 8, 2007

Shared by baronsgirl

Thanks for sharing this. I have read so many great ideas from this site...and I often forget to implement many of them. This one is excellent...I've got to do it! I'll ask the Lord to help me do it, and post some results here when I see them!

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Thanks - Aug. 9, 2007

Shared by mystiedawn

The CD is such a great idea! I was so thrilled!

What isn't clear from my email was that my oldest is almost 4. :) He's not still 2 1/2 reciting the whole catechism. :)

Mystie

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Untitled Comment - Aug. 9, 2007

Shared by Anonymous

How do you get the information on the cd?

from a non-electronic-minded person:)

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Memory Cd - Aug. 9, 2007

Shared by Anonymous

I love this idea! My children love listening to cd's in there room during play time. My question is how do you recite it? Meaning, do you just read it, or do you do it in a "sing-song" voice etc? Are they bored with it if you simply read it? Thanks so much!

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the CD - Aug. 9, 2007

Shared by mystiedawn

I made a CD on our computer. We have a microphone and a CD-writer-drive. I also have a husband who *built* this computer I'm typing on. :) So, creating it involved a few emails back and forth during the day with him, as well. :) You could also just record onto a cassette tape if your player has a recording feature.

I just recited the material into the CD in the same way I have him recite it. I try to read expressively, but you don't want anything close to singing coming from me. :) He ends up reciting it with the same inflections I recorded it with, so next time I'll make sure and think about it and practice a few times first! :) He doesn't just sit and listen to the CD. During his quiet time he has a selection of books he can look at and a few quiet toys (like stringing beads and alphabet puzzles). He mostly sits and sucks his thumb, though, because napping times are the only times he's allowed to do so. :) So, the CD is "background noise" during his quiet time, not something I force him to attend to. It also becomes the natural timer because it is 70 minutes long (I added some songs and a few Pooh stories to the end to fill up the CD), so he is allowed to come out when the CD is over.

When they pick up such things so quickly, it sure makes me think twice about what music and movies I let them watch even once! Is it something I want them memorizing?!

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Memory Cd - Aug. 9, 2007

Shared by Anonymous

Thanks Mystie for answering my question! My son loves listening to stories on cd during his room time. He has them all memorized too. He can tell me immediately by the music if I put in the one he wanted or not! They are little sponges, which is why I love this idea. He can be absorbing some wonderful Truth while playing! Awesome. A good friend built our computer...hmmm going to talk to him to see if we can do this too! Thanks again.

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Brilliant! - Aug. 11, 2007

Shared by Anonymous

Thank you, Kendra! (As always!)
Going to do this ASAP... and also YES! on changing baby in laundry room. We have an old ironing board set up in the laundry room (antique like), with an enamel pot with lid for diapers, and a wicker basket for clothes... and the sink right there. Works for us!
Kendra?
You bless....

Ann V.
www.holyexperience.blogspot.com

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i need to do this! - Aug. 14, 2007

Shared by PinayMom

i just found your preschoolersandpeace website. i have not leave your website & blog for 4 days now! i just started learning about godlytomatoes & love it too! still working on it with my 2 yo. i am also baby sitting 2 grandkids who's 4 & 2 so that makes me having 3 toddlers at same time! i have found so many ideas and beautiful insights & am anxious to use these for them. thank you so much!

also, can i have your rss feed so i can keep track of your new posts on my bloglines? thanks again!

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