FAMILY MUSIC JAR CHALLENGE

Unplug and plug into music as a family

Follow Cori on INSTAGRAM: @corijensen00 and her backyard adventures: @mysunrisehill it’s rare that I do anything as a parent that I would consider qualifying as #familygoals. But, of the handful things I’d give that badge of honor to, one is our “music jar” challenge. Full disclosure, the concept is not our brainchild.

We as parents hear on the news, read in articles and even get preached to at the pediatrician, the importance to unplug from screens and also to have meals together as a family as often as possible. It’s a thing. Yet real life schedules make it challenging. Staying so busy trying to accomplish all the things makes tearing a screen away from our kids a big task. I’m certainly far from perfect, so anytime I happen across a helpful tip I grab it by it’s coattails.

Even for 10 minutes this family activity can truly be enjoyable and make memories. I promise.

It’s all about that bass. Well, more accurately speaking, it’s all about that music.

My family's music jar challenge. An adaptation of an idea from one of my favorite Instagramers a year ago.

This challenge is a way we are introducing our kids to music outside of their everyday listening habits. And it also helps to engage and promote conversation around the family dinner table.

My hubby and I sat down and wrote down around 52 different bands and artists on little slips of paper and put them in a jar. Genre, time periods, personal likes or cultural popularity all totally open and put in the jar. We. Had. So. Much. Fun. Creating this.

Next the exciting part. Introducing our kids to music they’d either never heard before or rarely had.

We dug deep, writing down artists that we loved when we were teenagers, college influences, bands that helped shape our taste today, all the way to current loves. The net was cast far and wide and our experiment that’s been going on for less than a year has been a success.

THIS IS HOW MY FAMILY DOES THE MUSIC JAR CHALLENGE.

Each Sunday at dinnertime we draw a new slip of paper. From there we play for the kids at least two songs from that band or artist. Then over the course of a week we play one or more songs at dinnertime. This is all very flexible as some days and weeks are busier than others. And some artists have more to choose from than others.

Our one rule: No talking while the song plays.

At the end of the week we go around the horn and ask the kids to rate the artist on a one to five scale. It’s developed some hilarious conversations and laughter, especially when someone is drawn out of their seat to dance!

This challenge is excellent for all ages, and is free! Can I get a collective Amen?

In case you're curious … there has only been one band to get a perfect 5-star rating from our kids (ages 4-14) and that is (drumroll please) The Beatles!

The online delivery and flexibility of the RN-BSN program were valuable as a full-time nurse. The way MSUM sets up clinicals is very manageable working full time. I implemented the teach-back educational method at work into our discharging process for my capstone project, so it was mutually beneficial.