Mums set to launch Early Years Music Week fun in new year

Yorkshire mums are looking forward to National Early Years Music Week which launches at the end of January.

Lucy Stenbeck first recognised the value of music for her son who, in his early years, was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. She took her son Jett to Rhythm Time classes at five weeks old and was unaware of his condition then.

“The classes got me out of the house and meeting other mums. Jett started to respond to the classes much earlier than I expected.

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“When he was a year old, I noticed that he didn’t quite copy the actions like the other children, but there was still no sign of any diagnosis. I now know that was because he found it physically difficult, even painful.”

She added: “At 18 months old Jett was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. When I had my second child, Spike, I continued to take my children to classes and my third child, Raven, went to her first class at seven days old!”

This muscle wasting condition means Jett suffers from severe pain most days and faces an uncertain future. Jett has now started school and, despite the variety of related cognitive and physical challenges, he enjoys school and the one subject he doesn’t struggle with is music.

Lucy started The Jett Pack, a charity which sits under Muscular Dystrophy UK umbrella. The £20,000 they’ve already raised goes towards Jett’s family fund whilst 90 per cent goes back to the parent charity.

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Ami Stott and Jenny Bianco who run Rhythm Time businesses in York and Harrogate and Ripon and the Yorkshire Dales help with fundraising activities - Ami ran the London marathon this year and Jenny runs extra classes including a Christmas party.

“The new National Early Years Music Weeks is fantastic. Parents and carers should be made aware of the importance of early years music.”

The National Early Years Music Week is from January 28.