Hello everyone. My name is Lessia Bonn. I’m a teacher, songwriter, producer, and informal counselor. You may have spotted me around town as I am Bullyproof Music. Many assume I just work with older kids, but don’t be fooled – I work with all age kiddos. My goal? To help all young people find their voices. Not just their singing voices, but their most beautiful inner voices.
How I help kids get a clue...
Students hate being lectured to - we all know that. Kids can zone out quickly when they feel they're being told how to be. Even encouraging kindness with fun rewards can be tricky, since we're still framing things for kids teacher to student. Kids know when it's our idea first. They may listen, but often, afterwards they just drop the ball. They haven't owned those new ideas yet as their own. They often move on... so what to do?
Use a Song
A while back, quite by accident, I discovered a magical formula that works like a charm - I figured out how to disarm kids! By delicately placing kind attitudes and clever observations within songs that are great fun to sing or listen to, I can encourage better behavior without my munchkins ever catching on. I can nudge kids into becoming gentler, more generous wee folk. Enlightening lyrics stick like glue the way lecture never do!
Here's a Song for You
In honor of Halloween and all things imaginative, here's a super fun song and lesson freebie called Scary Guy. Scary Guy has a history of working wickedly well. It will cast a lovely spell on your munchkins, I promise. The lesson presented: It's more cool to be nice. Never ever choose mean company. Never be mean company. Bullies are a bore. Be a treat, not a tricky person to deal with. Got all that? It's much more cleverly worded in the song.
Scary Video
Here is a fun video lesson featuring one of my own munchkins with deep thoughts on the subject of attitude. Please feel free to share it with your own kids. I'm hoping it will inspire them properly. If you'd like to watch this video straight off Youtube, here is that link.
Oh - and as an extra treat, here's a complete music video - just for you! We shot this video down by the train tracks and underneath the freeway tunnel in Santa Barbara before I moved to Sonoma. The girls are some sweet kids from my old crew. Fun facts: Scary is a studio recording. Our drummer's name is Bucket. He also plays Justin Timberlake...for Justin Timberlake. We got really lucky!
Creating Kinder Kids
During this pumpkin season, and throughout the year, please consider adding songs with meaningful lyrics to your classroom playlist to inspire your kiddos towards kinder and happier perspectives. Also, don't forget to actually sing some empowering songs with your young ones. Don't just sing about owls and bunnies and pussycats - be brave, dig deep, and offer your munchkins some useful life insights. They can handle it! Look for songs with great messages and be generous with how often you use them! Use songs for brain breaks, transitions, rainy days - whenever you need to mix up the mood, whenever you want to remind your kids that kindness conquers all.
Kids adore feeling wise. Just the right song can open up their eyes. Now there's a trick!
And in honor of a very special fundraiser going on right now, here's an extra treat; a magical formula video about being kind. Featured teachers: Mr. Einstein with a few of our most warm-hearted munchkins - also the Youtube link if you'd like to watch us there!
Group hug and lots of love,
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