As a writer of children's literature, skill building for kids of all ages is important to me and I value sharing various ways to make the connections to positive motivation and creative tools in my workshops during library, bookstore, or school visits.

I feel grateful for music being prominent in my household and childhood growing up. My sister and brother and I learned to sing and play instruments and compose our own songs from a very young age. I would sit down at the piano, creating my own magical world, for hours on end during my elementary school years. Many decades later, I still have books full of the poems and musical compositions I wrote from the 1970's onward.

Music ignites all areas of child development including intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy. It helps the body and mind work together. Exposing children to music during early development helps them learn the sounds and meanings of words. Plus, it elevates mood, reduces stress and improves focus.

I usually have music playing while I'm writing. If the music has vocals, then it's on when I'm doing more administrative writing (or even social media), but creative writing of a story or poetry calls for classical. Articles, features, interviews, blogs & magazine work get a dose of mellow jazz or classic R&B/Soul.

It is natural for humans to experience music. Anyone can access music in some capacity due to the way it's processed in the brain. It has even been used as a tool to help with dementia. And did you know it allows us to feel nearly all emotions that we experience in our lives?

Just as writing for children allows me to express and communicate my feelings, music is one of the ways we make sense of our lives, and when we have no words, it is a way for us to understand with hearts when we can't with our minds.