The Best Kept Secret

As a blogger, I receive a lot of kid’s CDs and DVDs.   We listen and watch them all.   Then we move on, eventually.

Something else entirely happened when we got an advance copy of Monkey Monkey Music:  The Videos with Meredith LeVande.  My daughter became utterly and totally engrossed and obsessed!   Waking up in the middle of the night with tears and incoming molars, she would only ask for one thing to comfort her…”Mamma, MONKEY!”

I tried, to no avail, to put on different DVDs and CDs in the weeks that followed, only to be met with two very demanding words…..”Mamma, MONKEY!”

It was clear.  We had a serious Monkey Monkey Music addiction.  It intrigued me.   Why, of all the entertainment available to her, was she so stuck on this one particular thing?

I had to do some “Investigatory Reporting”…….

I was really intrigued by this because I saw my daughter connect to something that seemed very different than what she had been watching before.  She was mesmerized.

I called Meredith LeVande.  I quickly learned that she was an artist that offered something different and unique to the genre of children’s media.  She was not only talented, but thoughtful, and thought-provoking, and I felt an instant connection as well. There is something so genuine about Meredith, her music, and her connection to children, that my child immediately sensed it.   Kids have a built-in bullshit detector and this was the real deal.   I find her real strength comes from the fact that she does not condescend to children or talk down to them.  I also realized that children have a keen sixth sense and feel connected to Meredith and Monkey Monkey because she reaches kids on a deeper level, something that we often mistakenly think isn’t perceived or understood by children.  We often forget how adverse and difficult being a child can be. Even though none of the songs talk about social issues per se, it doesn’t have to say it, the videos and the music just do it automatically. The multicultural cast of kids, the interactions between Meredith and the cast, and the non-pandering vibe are all really in sync.

Oh, and the songs are so damn catchy!

Now we are all under the LeVande Spell.

Monkey Monkey Music: The Videos with Meredith Levande DROPS today.

Meredith is also one of New York Cities most in demand children’s entertainers!  Just ask a celebrity, supermodel mommy, or a majorly awesome blogger (ahem!)