Well, here we are on the 185^th day of 2022. Or the 13^th day. I don’t really know anymore. January is supposed to a low-key, boring month. Basically a 31-day hangover from the previous year. Typically, people use this time to set their annual goals, whether personal or professional, but so far it feels like we have a daily goal of just making through the next 24 hours while Covid surges and impacts everyone and everything we know AGAIN. It’s been tough to think much beyond that!

Entertaining small children during a pandemic while also keeping them safe and healthy, and while also keeping yourself SANE and healthy, is nothing short of a herculean effort. I believe the past two years have been hard on everyone (unless you’re a Covid denier or downplayer of course) but especially for those muscling through with little ones. But in those moments of thinking, “what on earth can we do now and how is it only 2pm???”, I can always count on music to get us through. Honestly, music saves the day in our home when any of us are having big feelings! Often it’s mommy having big feelings….😆

My first spotlight artist of 2022 has one of the most captivating voices I’ve ever heard. I am not exaggerating when I say that turning on a song by Charlie Hope will instantly stop my kids in their tracks to simply LISTEN. Her voice is so clean, clear, slightly haunting, and even a little hypnotic.

Charlie Hope is Canadian (no wonder her voice is so NICE har har har) and has been performing children’s music for over a decade. She has a collection of classics and upbeat originals like “Train Song”, which is one of our faves, but I believe her standout album is “World of Dreams: Soothing Songs and Lullabies”. I think everyone, young and old, would enjoy drifting off to songs like “Dreamland” and “Sun and Moon”. This album should have its own category on the Calm App!

I can be anything in Dreamland

I can fly with wings from a picture I made

I can do anything in Dreamland

Because I’m the one Dreamland comes to

I hope my next dream takes me to a tropical island with a cocktail the size of my head and nothing to worry about but a dehydration headache!

Charlie Hope is a lovely artist that you and the kids will enjoy during calm times, or in those wild moments where you want them to GET calm.

PS!! A quick note about my own tunes for kids. I am super excited to have made significant progress on this front. It is a goal to have my own songs released this year, and I think we can make it happen. For now though, let’s all just get through the next 24 hours with our sanity!

Playlist updated. Enjoy, and be well out there! Thanks for reading!