Julia, aged four, is highly self-motivated.  To put it another way, she seems to be happily at the mercy of an inner “Muse” who directs her every musical move. Julia (or her Muse) is less interested in learning “How to” than in coming up with original creations. Her songs flow out in a constant stream that makes it clear that for Julia, composing is not a conscious action, but a reflex.  Julia often saves her “tour de force” for close to the end of the session. Whether she needs all that time to get the creative juices flowing or she realizes we’re running out of time and better get to it, we may never know. Today, Julia invited her babysitter, Jacinta, to ride in the “sleigh”: my rocker converted to a sleigh by a pair of zills. A lullaby she made up on the spot was part of the relaxation therapy. Click here for the peaceful moment .

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