Juno Baby - Giving Babies and Toddlers a Head Start (Home)

Getting your toddler or baby dressed in a hurry!

Do you lose your breath just thinking about getting your toddler dressed for the day?  Let's not even talk about all of those "quick" changes you have to make throughout the day after someone spilled spaghetti-o's all over themselves.  It's true, sometimes simplest of tasks (i.e. dressing your little one), can be unnecessarily complicated and strike fear into the hearts of even the sturdiest parent.  It's always too itchy, too tight, too loose, too hot, too green, too plain, not plain enough, etc.  What can you do but prepare for a fight?  

Read below for a few innovative tips that might make your wardrobe experience a little bit easier.   

Be prepared.
How a child reacts to the changing table can be a good indicator of how they will react to the dressing room.  Recognize a fussy dresser before they are old enough to argue, and you might be able to reverse the problem before it starts.  

- Make sure your hands are room temperature.  If your baby learns early on that it is   uncomfortable and cold when getting dressed, he/she may subconsciously carry that on   and fight you every step of the way.

- Play soothing music.  Your baby might not be ready for a deep conversation about the   fun you can have getting dressed, but he/she can appreciate atmosphere.  Make things   musically pleasant for them now, and later on they may remember that feeling of calm.    Do a good enough job of this and you might have trouble keeping them IN their clothing.

Understand their limits.
Don't expect your little one to stand at attention and follow all of your directions.  If he/she starts to bolt around the room every time you try to get down to business, then perhaps you should turn it into a game.  However, the game should be centered on actually getting dressed.  Running around and laughing may be fun, but this will only reinforce their bad habits.  Instead, focus on the aspect of getting dressed quickly.  If peek-a-boo isn't working, you might try a race the finish style game.  Who can get dressed the fastest?!

Freedom!
Your toddler is at just the right age to begin taking on small responsibilities.  He/she may be fighting you because they are rejecting your authority.  And, while this needs to be kept in check until they are old and wise enough to care for themselves, you can encourage a little Independence by allowing them to dress themselves.  Make it simply for them by picking out 2 choices.  Lay these out, go away, and come back when they have finished.  Make it clear that you are excited to see which one they choose.  Make them feel proud, not punished.  "You had better be in one of those when I get back", for example, sounds like a punishment.  A threat.  "I can't wait to see which one you picked out when I get back" would work much better.

Give a little.
If you want to win the wardrobe war, you have to lose a few battles.  Your little one is at their creative peak.  They are just beginning their journey to find out who they are, what they like, and what they don't like.  This means they may have a wacky fashion sense.  Try to be understanding and supportive by allowing them to wear something that you may not have put together yourself.  So what if he/she goes to school wearing green striped pants and a pink and orange bunny shirt.  They are only this little once. 

This blog post was provided by Stephanie Parker - our blog writer extraordinaire!

Pacifiers - how to choose the right one for your baby or toddler

Pacifiers have been both praised and vilified over the years.  Some claim them to be absolute lifesavers, rescuing them from hours of fussiness and crying, while others view them to be the vice of a lazy parent.

It can be difficult to make a clear decision with so many different opinions floating around. Do you trust your experienced mother, or your pediatrician?  What about your favorite parenting mag or website? 

In an attempt to make this decision just a bit easier, we have gathered the pros and cons from all the latest research and most relevant experience.  Take a look and form your own opinion.  

On the bright side:

Probably the biggest pro is that recently added guidelines from the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) have stated that pacifiers are acceptable to use through the first year of your child's life. 

Also, some research has shown that there may be a connection with pacifier use and the reduced risk of SIDS.

And finally, one must look at the results:
Because the sucking action is an instinct in babies, the pacifier can offer a natural relief to you child. 

Fussiness between meals, reluctance to sleep, stress over doctors appointments and shots, and simple boredom can and have been helped before by the use of a pacifier.

On the not so bright side:

One of the biggest problems parents and doctors have with pacifiers is their tendency to increase the risk of middle ear infections, which are quite common in children under the age of three.  However, during your child's first six months of life, ear infections are much less common.  This also happens to be when the risk of SIDS is the highest.

If given a pacifier too soon, your child may develop an inability to suck on an actual breast.  Due to the large difference in nipple and pacifier shape, your child could have a difficult time learning how to shape his/her mouth appropriately for each. 

It is also very likely that your little one may become dependent on the pacifier.  You will know right away if this is the case, because vicious crying spells will ensue the moment the object slips from his/her mouth.  This can be most exasperating when you are trying to lay them down for a nap.

How to use a pacifier wisely:

If you decide that the pacifier is for you, there are a few things you can do to either avoid, or reduce the severity of the negative side effects.

- Try to hold off until breast feeding becomes a natural routine.  This shouldn't take too long, but is well worth the wait.  The AAP recommends waiting at least one month.

- If they aren't interested, don't force it.  Almost every pro in the pro list revolves around   the concept that your baby finds this object soothing.  If he/she doesn't take to it, these positive effects will be nullified. 

- To avoid choking hazards, always go with the one-piece model.  There are a few that intentionally come apart to allow for "thourough cleaning", but these are not   recommended.  A solid pacifier cleans just as easily if washed in a small   dishwasher-safe basket.  (typically, these look like small, plastic cages that open and   close with a latch, and fit neatly inside your dishwasher)

- Keep a backup with you wherever you go.  If your child does become more than a little dependent on their "passy", then you will want to have an extra when they drop it on the floor of the car, store, or parking lot.

- This should go without saying, but always keep it clean.  If you can't stop to wash it, at least give it the once over with your favorite hand sanitizer or disinfecting baby wipe.  Remember to always thoroughly wipe/rinse it off after cleaning it.  Your baby probably won't like a mouthful of soap or hand disinfectant.

- Replace them often.  Wear and tear may be cute on your child's favorite teddy bear, but it is a deadly choking hazard on a pacifier.  Loose rubber, or broken off plastic could become lodged in your child's throat all too easily.

- Watch out when using pacifier clips.  Strings and ribbons that are too long could wrap themselves around your little one's neck.

- Don't let it become a crutch.  Always try to sooth your baby yourself before resorting to "the plastic plug."  Food, touch, attention, burping, temperature changes, diaper   changes, and more could be solutions to your child's crying. 

- Be careful not to allow your child to continue using a pacifier beyond the appropriate   age.  In most cases, the magic stopping age is around 2 or 4.  However, for an accurate assessment, you might want to visit your pediatrician.

This blog post was provided by Stephanie Parker - our blog writer extraordinaire!

Tips on Teething Toys for your baby or toddler

In the past, parents have been limited to the 'frozen teether' to sooth their baby's sore gums.  But with today's better sophisticated market, babies and parents have options.  Below are a few fresh new ideas and products to help you and your little one cope with an age-old problem.

Everything can be educational.
Today we have the option to make just about everything into an educational experience for our children.  So, why should teething be any different? Products like teether books, rattles, plush animals, and blankets are just the beginning. Leap Frog has come up with a vibrating teether that introduces sensory awareness to your baby. And Gerber makes an item called an "OrbiTeether", which provides the teething infant with 6 different textures to explore.  And it comes in a fun spaceship shape.  A teether like this one will prepare your baby for solid foods down the road.

A little practicality.
The big problem with frozen teethers is that they eventually thaw out.  This makes them less than ideal for bedtime.  Now, you can buy blankets with rubber corners to help your little one ease their discomfort and slip into slumber.  Another great product to help your baby get some sleep is Combi's age specific pacifier.  There is a corresponding pacifier for each stage of teething.  This would be the perfect thing to bring along on a car ride or trip to the store.  Just be sure to bring a few disinfectant wipes for when it inevitably ends up on the floor.

Have fun while feeling better.
Most any infant appropriate toy out there would make a great teether.  This one isn't exactly new technology, but it is extremely effective.  There are scads of toys on the market that provide visual, sensory, and mental stimulation that would make excellent teethers. Graco, for instance, makes a rattle ring and plush animals with teethers attached.

Not just for baby.
For the 'recall conscious' parent, You Bugaboo sells teething toys that are all non-toxic, all-natural and organic.  In fact, it isn't just Bugaboo.  Many toy companies are getting into the act and producing nothing but chemical free, tested toys.  Be sure to do your homework before buying from just any manufacturer.  Consumer Report is a good place to start.  And, if you want to take safety one step further, SmartMomJewelry sells jewelry for mom that is safe for baby to chew and/or pull on.

Watch out.
New and inventive teethers are only safe and helpful if you follow the directions.  Be sure to ALWAYS read the instructions for first-time use on all teether products. Some may not be able to be thrown directly into the washer.  It may be prudent to boil some items in water before handing them off to your baby.

Try to always do the following before giving your child (at any age) a toy:

-Check online for recalls on baby teether products.
 
-Check all fluid filled toys for punctures.  The water inside can often contain preservatives and foreign chemicals.

-Never freeze a water filled item completely.  If you do, be sure to let it thaw a bit before giving it to your little one.  New teeth are all too easily chipped by vigorous chewing.

This blog post was provided by Stephanie Parker - our blog writer extraordinaire!

In-Toe or Pigeon Toed Baby and Toddler

Babies and toddlers are always running into things and tripping over themselves.  After all, it wasn't that long ago that they first learned to stand on their own two feet.  Generally, you can expect all of this clumsy, awkward movement works itself out and develops into a normal, confident gate.  However, the human body doesn't always do what we expect it to do.  Should you be concerned if your child doesn't seem to be growing out of that awkward walk?  Read on.

While continued clumsy, or unnatural looking movement could be a sign of serious bone and muscular problems, and should be checked out by a physician, typically, the problem is simply that they are what some people might call "pigeon toed".  Another word for this is "in-toed".  "In-toeing", or "pigeon toeing", is when the feet turn inward towards the body during natural states of rest, or when walking or running.

Let's go over a few things that may be causing the problem, and what you can do about them.

If your child is under the age of two, the cause is likely to be metatarsus adductus.  This is a condition in which the bones of the middle part of the foot deviate inward.  It is not serious, and, in it's most severe cases, can be corrected easily with a pair of corrective shoes and/or proper stretching. 

Internal tibial torsion may be another cause.  This is where the lower leg bones (the tibias) are rotated inwards.  Just like metatarsus adductus, this condition will usually resolve itself as your child ages and his/her muscles grow stronger.  If the problem persists after about nine months of walking, then it is recommended that you see your doctor once more for reevaluation.  However, it is more than likely that the problem will be corrected naturally by age three or four.

Lastly, another medical cause that could be the reason for your child's awkward gate is femoral anteversion, the inward turning of the upper leg bone (femur).Stretching and strengthening the leg muscle are again the recommendations for solving this problem.  A great improvement should be seen around age eight.  However, in some extreme cases, your child may require the use of a leg brace to straighten out the turned femur.

This blog post was provided by Stephanie Parker - our blog writer extraordinaire!

Does your little one need glasses?

Children's vision systems are still growing and developing well into the first five or six years of their lives.  So, how can you be sure your child really needs glasses?  Shouldn't they simply wait until their eyesight fully develops?  Can wearing glasses too early harm them rather than help them?  Get the answers to these questions and more by reading below.

Although their vision has not finished developing, children can, and do sometimes require glasses to see properly.  In fact, having them wear glasses early on can prevent, and even correct minor vision problems such as amblyopia ("lazy eye"), anisometropia (when two eyes are visibly different in size or shape from one another), near-sightedness, far-sightedness (astigmatism), strabismus ("cross-eyed"), and more.

Wearing glasses at a young age will not hurt your child's eyes as long as the prescription they are wearing is accurate.  Make sure you get the opinion of a doctor, or doctors you trust.  What can hurt your child is not wearing their glasses.  Be sure that once they have started, they don't go for long periods of time without them.  Unless, of course, the prescription they have doesn't require them to wear their glasses at all times. (i.e. reading glasses) 

How will I ever get my child to wear glasses?
Many parents worry about this, especially those with a baby or toddler.  However, there is no need for concern.  Most children wear their glasses proudly.  At this young age, anything to make them different, or set them apart from the other children is welcomed.  Attention seeking toddlers will more than likely jump at the chance to wear something special on their faces.  What parent should instead be concerned with is whether or not their child will lose or break their glasses.  Talk to your eye doctor about getting durable frames and scratch resistant lenses. 

If your child does resist the glasses, the best thing you can do is maintain a positive attitude.  If you wear glasses, be sure not to complain about them and always wear them when you should.  Leading by example is often the best way to teach. 

You could also remind them that if they wear them now, they won't have to later.  This could be because the glasses are correcting their eyesight for the future, or because one day they will be old enough to try invisible contact lenses. 

Most kids with a genuine need for glasses will wear them without question because of the relief from blurred vision and headaches they offer.

And finally, encourage your child to wear their glasses by getting a pair that fits them properly.  Always shop for frames that fit your child as they are now, not as they will be weeks, months, or years from now.  Saving money by buying frames they can "grow into" will only cause them discomfort.  You might also look into soft frames with comfort cables that fit gently around the ears. 

Ask your eye doctor for more information on the different types of frames and lenses you can purchase for your little one!

This blog post was provided by Stephanie Parker - our blog writer extraordinaire!

Exercise and Fitness During Pregnancy

If you are, or have ever been pregnant, then you have probably been told over and over again to "lie down", or to "just take it easy".  While it is true that relaxation and calm is beneficial to both you and baby, you shouldn't let that keep you from staying fit and healthy. Believe it or not, exercise is one of the best things you can do to to ensure a safer, more comfortable term, and a healthy child! 

An average, low-impact workout for about 30 minutes a day, 3-4 times a week can boost your energy level, help you trim off any unnecessary weight gain (any more than the baby naturally adds), balance out your hormone levels (emotions), and lower the risks of heart disease, premature death and other serious illnesses.

[ CAUTION:  Before starting ANY exercise routine while expecting, you should consult your doctor to make sure there are no special medical concerns that might make any physical activity a danger to you or your unborn child.  Also, be mindful of "where you are" in terms of your physical fitness.  In other words, if you weren't in great shape before, now is not the time to start an "ab busting" program, or some other strenuous routine.  Major weight loss or muscle toning goals can be met after the baby is born.  For now, keep it light, and on your level. ]    

But, I already know that exercise is good for me.  How can it affect my baby?

Science has proven that a steady exercise routine can help prevent gestational diabetes, which is a form of diabetes that your child can contract while in the womb.  Also, if the mother already has this disease, exercise and diet can help her to keep it manageable.

Getting started
After clearing things with your doctor (see above CAUTION), you are ready to begin.  Pick something you feel would be fun for you.  Remember, this isn't about getting that "bikini body", but enjoying yourself!  If it isn't fun, it just won't work.

You might try:

Light Aerobic Workouts
This includes stationary cycling, walking, light jogging and swimming/water aerobics.

The idea behind doing aerobic exercises is to elevate your heart rate and work your muscles without having to bear any weight or strain on your body.

Whats more, it can be fun.  Aerobic movements rely heavily on rhythm.  The goal is to feel like you are locked into a groove, similar to dancing.

Aerobics can help relieve the everyday aches and pains of pregnancy (i.e. sore back, constipation, poor circulation, fatigue, sleeplessness, etc.) while strengthening and shaping up your body at the same time.

The best part about aerobics is that you can do it almost anywhere.  Even walking around the store at a steady pace is considered a form of aerobic exercise!

Stretching and Meditation
This includes the workout ball, light weight training, yoga and pilates.

By stretching and working your muscles, you are not only strengthening your body, but resting the mind as well.  Activities like yoga and pilates are all about centering yourself, and finding a balance within that will allow you to enjoy your pregnancy and put less stress on you and your baby.

Note: because some of the traditional yoga/pilates positions require a flatter tummy than you may have at the moment, it may be necessary to seek out a book, video, or article that discusses alternative postures and movements for pregnant women.

There are some excellent videos on expertvillage.com, as well as youtube.com, that demonstrate several yoga/pilates positions suitable for the pregnant woman. 

Search Words: prenatal, pregnancy, pregnant, yoga, pilates, positions, etc.

Weight Training
Light weight training is also a great way to stretch and tone those muscles.  Just remember to keep things at a slow pace.  Too much exertion or strain could create tension in your breathing and/or the over flexing of your abdomen.  Each of these could easily endanger the baby.  The best way to avoid this would be to do several repetitions with extremely light weights.

Things to avoid:
Don't involve yourself in sports that could damage your abdominal area.

Activities such as horseback riding, skiing, ice hockey, kickboxing, soccer, scuba-diving and others like these should never enter into your daily routine.

(Note: while scuba diving may not seem to pose a threat to your abdomen, it has been known to cause dangerous gas bubbles to form in an infant's circulatory system.)

Also, after your third month, any exercise or activity that requires you to lie flat on your back should be avoided.  This could restrict the blood flow to the uterus, and subsequently harm the baby.

Knowing when to quit
There is nothing brave, admirable, or tough about endangering the life of an infant.  If you begin experiencing any of the following, please stop immediately and see your doctor.

Fluid of any kind coming out of your vaginal area that was not there before.

Any abdominal cramping or nausea.  (specifically sudden or severe bursts of discomfort)

Contractions after your workout. (specifically those that last up to 30 min.)

Pains in your chest or trouble breathing

Severe headaches that are reluctant to subside

Any feeling of dizziness or vertigo

Blurred or dimmed vision

Have fun and be safe.

This blog post was provided by Stephanie Parker - our blog writer extraordinaire!

Cry Baby! Dealing with Colic in your Baby

Babies cry.  This isn't news to anyone that has ever had, or at the very least, been around children.  But sometimes, the crying just won't stop. They may be healthy, well-fed and loved, and still cry inconsolably.  If nothing you do seems to comfort or relieve him/her, then you  might investigate the possibility that your baby has colic.

It is understandable that this could be distressing for both you and your baby.  To not know what it is your baby is really suffering from is a terrible feeling for a parent.  Below are a few ways you can try to ease your child's and your discomfort.

First, you have to recognize the signs.  Crying is one, but there are others that might alert you something is wrong.

- A baby who has colic doesn't simply cry for a long time, they cry at the same time.  Often times, they cry at about the same time each day. Typically, they do it in the late afternoons and evenings.

- While doctors have concluded that colic has nothing to do with your babies digestive system, your little one might pass gas or have a sudden bowel movement immediately after the crying fit.  This is most likely due to the amount of strain they put their bodies through.

- During the fit, your baby's face may be an abnormally flushed color.

- One of the classic signs of a colicky baby is the curled, intense posture changes he/she will go through.  Tightened fists, curled legs, and a bent neck all signal that your little one is going through a colic episode.

Colic ends by 9 months in 90% of babies.  But, don't be alarmed if your little one seems to hang on to this condition much longer.  There is still that 10% of babies that suffer for extended periods.

Unfortunately, no one has a clear idea of what causes colic in a child.  So, there are no clear remedies other than patience.  However, one known theory is that colic is caused by the sudden shock of a babies fragile nervous system.  This can happen quite easily, in fact.  The smallest noise, touch, or temperature change could very well cause your child to go into fits at such an early, tender age.

You might try:
- A white noise machine to block out all of those small, disturbing noises from your environment.  Everything from car horns to sudden click of a quiet ac could be triggering the episodes.

- Several thin blankets to regulate temperature on a minute scale.  Your baby could be only mildly too hot or cold.  Adding and removing thin blankets is the best way to make minor adjustments to their temperature.

- Putting them down once in a while.  If they started crying while in your arms, perhaps they just want to be left alone.  It isn't unnatural or unheard of for an infant to need some space.  They are people too.  Try not to take it personally, though.  It mostly has to do with comfort and sleepiness.

Try to take comfort in the fact that it's not permanent.  Your baby will grow out of this on his/her own.  In fact, in just a few weeks to a month, your child will be as good as new, and you will both be sleeping better.

This blog post was provided by Stephanie Parker - our blog writer extraordinaire!

Free Giveaway Winner for May

Congratulations to Linda S. of South Bend, IN!  She was Juno Baby's May winner of our monthly free giveaway contest.  Each month, a new member will be randomly selected and offered a Juno Baby product of their choice. This month, Linda chose Indie's Great Teddy Bear Hunt.   If you'd like to be entered for June, all you have to do is join the club!  By joining, you'll also be the first to know about special offers and receive an instant discount.

 

 

 

 

Juno Baby featured on the front pages of the Marin Independent Journal and Contra Costa Times

We were thrilled to learn that Juno Baby was featured on the front page of the Entertainment Sections of the Marin IJ, Contra Costa Times, and LA Daily News!  We have cut and pasted the article below:

"Juno Baby" brings Tchaikovsky (and Bach and Beethoven) to Tots

Young tots sit mesmerized by flickering images on the TV screen in households across the country. Some watch "Sesame Street," learning their ABCs and hearing Muppet-style opera. Other children gaze at "Baby Einstein," watching images flash by to an electronic Mozart-ish accompaniment. But little Juno Adelman gets her Mozart from a different source - the piano, the CD player and her parents' line of Emmy Award-winning children's DVDs starring Fraggle Rock-style puppets and real classical music performed by real musicians. s

On this particular drizzly day, those puppets are draped over the family's grand piano in Fairfax, nestled among stacks of sheet music and the family's 2007 Emmy Award. The statue forms a glitzy capstone on an unorthodox career path that brought Belinda Takahashi, an avant-garde composer at the Eastman School of Music, and her husband, a New York City hedge fund financier turned film producer, to the hills of Marin County.

Along the way, their musical progeny - the "Juno Baby" DVDs - have become the newest, hippest kids on the children's video block. If you divide children's entertainment into the Wiggles world of perky entertainment, and the educational video industry where "Baby Einstein" and the ever-growing number of Mozart-related kid vids reside, you'd find Juno Baby floating in its own little sphere. The storylines and characters - a pigtailed girl, a whimsical cat and a bespectacled caterpillar named Murphy, all based on doodles Takahashi has drawn since fifth grade - resemble the gentle milieu of "Sesame Street" and "Fraggle Rock." But the music is real: Mozart, Strauss, Smetana and Takahashi, a composer with a high-octane resume. And it's performed by actual musicians. 

It's a stark contrast to the electronic soundtracks of "Baby Einstein," "Baby Mozart" and the other DVDs that purport to boost baby IQs via classical music.

Takahashi laughs at the notion that Mozart can catapult your toddler into the intellectual stratosphere. But early exposure to a soul-satisfying, beautiful art form? That's another matter.

"I don't think if you listen to (Juno), you'll be a genius," she says. "But it's worth it to be experiencing beautiful things. You have every instrument going on and every possibility in dynamics and style."

It's a rare parent who doesn't seek out the latest educational, technological and developmental advances for his or her offspring. Moms and dads read the child development study du jour, then snap up the most ergonomic strollers, the most colorful mobiles - or the crispest black-and-white crib toys, after a study recommended high-contrast images - and the latest educational toys. So when Don Campbell's 1996 book, "The Mozart Effect," claimed that the 18th century composer's music made people smarter, basing his book on a since-discredited UC Irvine study of college students who listened to Mozart for 10 minutes then took a spatial IQ test, the jump to Mozart-in-the-crib made a certain kind of sense.

"Baby Einstein" launched that year and a new genre of baby brain boosters was born. The only problem is, a major University of Washington study found that the videos produced by "Baby Einstein,"(a $25 million company owned by Disney) and its imitators, don't work. In fact, it's possible they hamper a child's language development.

"But they don't seem to be reversing the belief among parents that classical music is good for their babies' brains," says former New York Times education and technology reporter Lisa Guernsey in her new book "Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children from Birth to Age Five."

"Videos and audio CDs for children that feature classical music continue to sell at a brisk pace," Guernsey writes, "and, if searches on Amazon.com, are any indication, Mozart has been resurrected as a popular children's entertainer."

So when Takahashi first heard about "Baby Einstein," she was certainly intrigued. "I was pregnant with Juno," Takahashi recalls, "shopping for baby stuff and they were telling us about 'Baby Einstein.' They put it on and I was horrified. They said it was classical music - it was synthesized! The first thing children are going to hear is a Mozart melody, but it's Casio. It's not the full spectrum of the music and the instruments."

If you're going to introduce children to classical music at an early age, then do it for real, Takahashi and Adelman recalled thinking.

"Obviously," she says now, "it was a lot harder than we thought."

The couple came up with characters, brought in puppeteers from Jim Henson's original "Fraggle Rock," hired a behavioral science consultant who specialized in early childhood development and signed an orchestra of musicians. "Juno Baby" was off the ground - not as a genius-maker, but as a cool way to introduce children to classical music and gently entertaining storylines.

"Concert hall audiences are getting older and older," says Takahashi.

"We need to keep children interested in such an amazing part of our culture and history."

Four DVDs later, "Juno Baby" (www.junobaby.com) is on a roll. Takahashi's "Indie's Teddy Bear Hunt" picked up a 2007 Emmy Award for best original music in a children's program, a glitzy capstone to the fledgling company's collection of Parents' Choice and Dr. Toy Awards. And, as far as Takahashi is concerned, if kids fall in love with classical music, then all the better.