KinderJam was born from necessity. In 2008, I was a stay-at-home mom to my toddler son.  During this time I became concerned about his speech development. I noticed at nearly 2 years old he wasn’t making any efforts to speak. I took him to his doctor and was pretty much told to monitor him…he was still young and developing. However, after being told the same at a visit several months later, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I was solely responsible for my son’s development, and he was not going to slip through the cracks. Not my cub...not on my watch.

 

My alter ego, Mama Bear was born.

 

I immediately began to research strategies to help my son develop his vocabulary, and soon stumbled upon articles on kinesthetic learning. Because my son was so physically active, I decided to try some kinesthetic activities to introduce vocabulary words. We started with animals. First, we would act them out. Then we would make their sounds. Finally, we would practice the word. It worked and I was over the moon. My son had experienced success and my heart swelled with pride. I decided to take it one step further. My son loves music, and I knew if I put the activities to music, I could hold his attention longer. I began to search for the best in children’s music to help me teach vocabulary and preschool concepts to my son in a rhythmic, melodic, and more engaging manner. Within weeks he was identifying  animals, shapes, numbers, and letters, and even understanding spatial concepts as well. In our living room, week after week, I created a program to teach and evaluate my son. He was later diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the world we’d created together gained another dimension.  

 

That program—all those weeks doing my best to make learning fun, engaging, and meaningful for my son—became what is now KinderJam!

 

I had discovered the key to creating successful experiences for my child. Most importantly, I knew his learning style and what he was capable of doing, as well as what was most challenging for him. Therefore, I was able to take my son back to the doctor and finally speak confidently and objectively about his needs, instantly resulting in a long overdue referral to a speech therapist.  And so began our journey to finding my son the services he needed to maximize his personal potential at last.

 

A parent is a child’s first teacher and greatest advocate. Through KinderJam, I want to help create experiences in which parents will learn to teach their little ones, become familiar with how their little ones learn so they can better aid in their success, and—above all—build lasting bonds. I believe KinderJam empowers parents, just as it has empowered me. I am passionate about KinderJam and its effects on parents and little ones. As a teacher by trade and a mom by heart, I developed KinderJam with the love and enthusiasm of a mother wanting the absolute best for her child.

 

KinderJam is my gift from my heart to yours. Let's impact the lives of our children.  Together.

 

Signed, 

Mama Bear