Alana Banana, aka Alana Gentry, is a music educator and songwriter that has been performing for kids and families for over a decade. She is the co-founder of Silly Monkey Productions, producing content for kids that includes live action, puppets and animation. With 3 children’s albums and over 50 videos on YouTube as The Alana Banana Show she shares her message to Be Kind • Be Creative • Be You. She’s a foster mama and host of the “Inspired Grownups” Podcast for parents.

Here are the takeaways...

Giving yourself a way to explore and experience a variety of things to decide what you really want to do can be really supportive in your decision making
There is no hierarchy in music. ALL music - including music for children - is valuable
Music is a researched based way to help build memory around concepts. Putting words to music can help with retention.
Kids hear orders all day long. Putting instructions and suggestions to music can be a way to lighten the mood, make things fun, and avoid the power struggle with young children. And it's fun!
We aren't talking about fertility often, but it's something to consider normalizing in our conversations with our children and to each other
When someone is going through fertility treatments, it can be an emotional process. Offering simple support like invitations to spend time, letting someone know you care, and things like that can feel supportive.
There is a bigger picture, and often we can't see that when we are in a process. Giving yourself permission to take the next step that reveals itself. As much as you think you want to know it all, the delight is in the unfolding.
Sometimes if you hold on too tight, you won't get what you need. When you give yourself space and release the efforting, the answers will drop in.
To get where you want to go, love where you're at