Acoustophobia?

Okay, I'm pretty sure that's not a word, but I need something to put a label on what happens to Harper when we go to music class. She loves to sing and dance, especially if both Mom and Dad are involved and Rebound is leaping around too. I find endless amusement in her most recent attempts to mimic me and perform little gestures along with the songs we sing. Sometimes I turn around to look at her in the car and her little head is bobbing back and forth in time to whatever music is on the radio.

So when we had the opportunity to sign up for a nursery song and sign class at our local rec center, I thought it would be perfect. Not only would she learn something, but it would get us out of the house and give Harper a chance to be around other kids. There's only one problem. . .

Harper is afraid of the guitar.

How can that be?

I LOVE the guitar. Most of the music I listen to involves the guitar. We have spent many afternoons dancing in the kitchen to the GUITAR MAN CD.

I thought we would have a ball at music class and Harper would look something like this:



Instead, her eyes get huge, her lower lip starts to tremble, and she clings to me like a baby monkey, with her runny nose buried in my shoulder. Nana and Dziatku took her to her first music class because I was teaching that day. I almost didn't believe it when they told me she'd been scared. Of music and dancing? I thought maybe it would be different when she went with me. Nope.

Today was our third class. We got their early so we could watch the swimmers and say hello to the other children. We picked a seat not too close to the (somewhat overly) enthusiastic instructor. I talked to her calmly while we waited. And still, when the woman with the guitar walked in, Harper freaked! We had to temporarily remove ourselves from the singing circle because I was afraid she would upset the other kids. The class lasts about forty minutes. Around the twenty minute mark Harper relaxed enough for us to rejoin the group. With about five minutes left she started clapping, dancing, and acting like she was actually enjoying herself.

The other parents look at us with these pseudo-understanding faces that say, "Gee, sorry your kid is a freak and scared of some hollow wood and strings." Sigh. I think it took her a little less time to calm down this class than last. So maybe she's getting used to it.

I thought maybe it would be a good idea to have my brother bring his guitar over here and let her have some more time around one. Then again, I don't want her to become afraid of her Uncle Jamie.

The real question is, do we sign up again? We only have two classes left in this cycle. If she likes it a little better toward the end, it might be worth it to keep going. Maybe we can cure her fear of guitars and she won't have to avoid campfires for the rest of her life.