Val and I have worked as teachers and counselors in excess of 25 years at kindergarten through college levels. During that time we have seen the development of numerous programs to address the academic needs of children. Events in our society, some based in violence, have shown that focusing on just the cognitive aspects of child development while ignoring social and emotional components can have devastating effects.

Until recently, we wondered where one could find curricula relating to the social and emotional needs of children. Such projects as The Giraffe Project, Don't Laugh At Me, The Tribes Project, and The Search Institute's Developmental Assets have taken our thinking in that direction.

Dr. Daniel Goleman's book, Emotional Intelligence, Dr. Jane Healy's book, Endangered Minds: "Our Children Don't think and What We Can Do About It," and others have helped immensely in bringing needs of the whole child into clearer view. Using our backgrounds in teaching and counseling, the album, Carry Your Own Rainbow, has become our attempt to address the needs of the whole child through song.

The songs can be used to address academic needs, such as those found in Washington State's Essential Academic Learning Requirements. In trying to write them through the eyes of children we also want the songs to support those concepts that can help them become citizens in a more rational world.

The following is a brief description of each song and the rationale for its creation.

Carry Your Own Rainbow: Cildren moving through the grief loss process eventually seek ways to come to terms with their trauma and move on. Drawing a picture is frequently a part of this process. Rainbows are commonly a component in these pictures. To kids, the rainbows represent hope, brightness, and peace needed to heal. In this song, they also symbolize the development of personal responsibility (Maslow's hierarchy) and reaching out to others. Note: We sang this song at a health camp in Bulgaria while children handed out messages of good will from baskets they made to resemble rainbows.

		Loosth Tooth: Here is a fun song to celebrate the loss of "baby" teeth, minimize fear around this happening, and encourage taking care of new teeth.
		Rhyming Song. It's a song designed to help kids develop the skill of reading, which can lead to a raised self-esteem and other good stuff Fish food ice cream in a dish?
		Sharing Song., Social skills!!! It's so cool!
		Angry: This song catches the mood of this strong emotion and validates options for 'P- choosing positive behavior.
		Growing Up More Everyday: Written by Val for her grandchildren-or anyone's.
		Scrubby Dubby Bath: What kid has never complained about taking a bath. The hygiene message is clear. Besides, the narrative gives me a chance to be four again.
		Automatic: Clearly an attempt to put cognitive learning to work in controlling habitual behavior.
		Proud of Me: I took care to not to say, "..make my family proud of me." Kids, who can't do this, may begin to believe they have failed in their efforts to be a good child.
		Compliments: How does one learn this skill? Listen to the song!
		Doing the Slow Moe: Dr. Goleman, in Emotional Intelligence, deals with this issue in chapter six - "The Master Aptitude." You'll sing about an activity that can help kids prevent tantrum behavior and deescalate during times of growing emotions. It's noted in Beverly James' book Handbookfor Treatment of Attachment-Trauma in Chilren.
		Scarlet Ribbons: I did this traditional song more for parents than children. The arrangement is a little different, being done is a combination of 3/4and 4/4 time.

Note: We sang this song at a health camp in Bulgaria while children handed out messages of good will from baskets they made to resemble rainbows.
Val and I have worked as teachers and counselors in excess of 25 years at kindergarten through college levels. During that time we have seen the development of numerous programs to address the academic needs of children. Events in our society, some based in violence, have shown that focusing on just the cognitive aspects of child development while ignoring social and emotional components m have devastating effects.
Enjoy! Mike and Val