BOCA BETH: One Song at a Time

Yesterday as I was driving around town with my 7-year-old daughter (who has begun to complain of a ‘racing heart’ and ‘weird heartbeats’) I heard a lot of celebrating of Dr. King’s life going on.  Now that we listen mainly to The JoyFM I get a lot of positive vibes pumped into my body with contemporary Christian music morning, noon and night (and I love, love, love it!!! Though Megan learns the words much faster than mommy much to her delight and my crammed full brain’s dismay!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

The radio host of that period of the day was remarking on how Dr. King would never have wanted us to take the perspective on his life that it was perfect, that what he accomplished should be frozen in time and remembered that way.  This man was pointing out that Dr. King would have wished for us to examine his life, his journey, his preachings in the church in Alabama, and all of the things he did and did not do to make a difference.  And then we should be dynamic in our own lives to continue to move forward his dream in our own way, our own style.

It was such a lovely and refreshing take on the whole days’ meaning and Dr. Martin Luther King’s life.

What is your dream?  How can you dynamically live your life to make it happen?  I really would love to hear from you as I share my dream below and what I am doing to bring my dream to life.

I dream of continuing to be the great mom that I am to my three children, the greatest blessing that God can give parents.  And as I continue to be patient and loving and kind with them, I dream to grow my Boca Beth business to the level where we become a household name with families who have children ages birth - eight when the topic of bilingual fun products for their kids comes up.  That dream of a strong company and brand will lead to a TV show where a world of diverse families will benefit from my bilingual music and my love of teaching about languages & cultures; which in turn will lead to strong sales in the Boca Beth product line. 

*****I am dynamically bringing this dream to life first of all through daily reading of God’s word, daily talks with God and asking Jesus to stay by my side and keep me in control of myself, my company and my direction as a fantastic parent ( I do not want to be just an okay parent….I want to ROCK at it!!!! )  Then I am keeping up with the trends of online business, reaching out to others for advice a lot this year and keeping in touch with positive people who will lift me up as I lift them.

Now friends, please, tell me your dream and how you are dynamically bringing it to life!

Happy Educating!  ¡Sea feliz educando!

Boca Beth

This is so amazing…………….  I am blogging while sitting at a table in the beautiful Lobby of the Rio Mar Wyndham Resort in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.  There is hip-swaying, Latin music blaring from the Lobby Bar, my Latino/Latina friends are doing the salsa, the ramba, the merengue y mas/more, but I felt compelled to share before we end our family vacation here in Puerto Rico.

Yo tengo muchas amigas de aqui y ahora puedo entender porque quieren salir para otra vida mejor - otra vida llena de oportunidad.  I have many friends from here and now I understand why they want to leave for a better life - a life full of opportunity. 

Don’t get me wrong - it is an island of beauty, of many natural wonders and mysteries.  But, what it also has, is poverty, crime, crazy driving and a feel all of its own.  I could not live here and be the positive person that I am.  It’s been a terrific family vacation at a lovely resort that does not replicate the life these people live.

I thank God, I thank my husband, my family and my life for what I have.

Buenas noches Puerto Rico - Good Night Puerto Rico -

Boca Beth 

How blessed am I?!?!?!?! ………

I sometimes have to really pinch myself to make certain I am not dreaming this journey.

Living my dream…………walking with the Lord at my side………….sharing what I love and what I do well…………….thank you Brenda Ives and Cathy McCoy and staff of FFCCHA (www.familychildcare.org) for allowing me to spend the weekend sharing my message of how easy it can be to bring a second language into little children’s lives.

I was the musical keynote - opened with “Sing Praise for the Children”  and closed with “Movin’ and Groovin’” - thought we all were going to just bust some stitches in our britches with the following keynote from Dr. William Allen Mallory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That gentleman can talk and motivate and educate all at the same time.  He was an inspiration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you all - my daughter Megan was cared for by one of your providers for almost four years after totally sinking in a large preschool setting. 

Hang tight for way cool pictures of this terrific Conference.

Happy Educating!  ¡Sea feliz educando!

Boca Beth  

Not sure what happened today……..perhaps it truly hit me that 8 weeks ago to the date and day my sister drove up to my home, our neighbor spotted her leaned over her car in my driveway sobbing and she had to deliver the news of us never being able to hear Mom’s voice again.

I will never forget my sister’s face, her voice, my neighbor praying with us right there in the early dawn of the day, asking Jesus to give us two girls strength to face the three children inside as they prepared for school and to then travel to Mom’s home and pay our last respects to the woman who raised us so lovingly.

I cried a lot today.  I was very subdued for Beth Butler, the always upbeat and ready with a smile / positive word mom, partner, friend and teacher.

Man…………I miss my Mom.  I think about all of the things she did for me that allowed me to become who I am today.  The struggles she faced with our Dad - both mental and physical as he himself fought alcoholism.  The night shifts she worked as a single mom once she got the courage to divorce him.  The money she would scrimp and save to put me - her first of all four kids - all the way through a four year college.  The smiles she found in what must have been the toughest of times as we got food stamps and other forms of assistance.  The Irish pride she instilled in us all to not allow what others say to prevent you from taking the next step forward. 

I have taken so many steps forward - many times feeling my mom cheering me on.  In fact, over the past 8 weeks since her death, I have had some amazing, terrific, wonderful news about various things in my life (personal and professional) - - - - I have reached for that phone countless times thinking, “Mom’s gonna love this one!”  Only to come back sharply to reality that MOM IS NOT ABLE TO TAKE THE CALL.   I refuse to say she is not here, because I know she is.  I feel her presence sometimes, I feel her strength often times and I feel her love all of the time.

My sister and I are convinced there are ‘God winks’ going on.  These are times when we know it’s Mom-driven, Mom-directed little signs…..I will give you just one shivery example and move on through my tears.  About a week after mom’s passing on to the Lord I was trying to make some sense of the piles of things my sister and I had gone through of mom’s belongings.   One of the things she had asked my 7-year-old daughter shortly before her death was, “What from Grandma’s new place would you like to have once I die?”  (I swear to this day my mom knew the end of her days here on Earth were drawing to an end.)

Megan had replied she wanted the bird clock - a clock that chimes on the hour with various bird calls.  Very charming and now hangs in Megan’s playroom.  On this particular day I had not made it over to that side of the house but had accumulated enough stuff to place some of Mom’s treasures that she had left for Megan in Megan’s room.  As I approached Megan’s room (which is right next to the play room where this clock hangs) the bird chime begins a long and melodious call as if from my Mom herself thanking me for taking the time to share her left behind treasures with her darling granddaughter who had spent the night with Grandma only 3 days before her death.

Mom, I know you are watching all of us.  I know your body is now free from the pain that the rheumatoid arthritis had infected your entire body with.  I know you are so proud of us four kids as we try to do what you wished - from the cremation to the Memorial Mass to the celebration of life party to the execution of your will with no bickering (okay, okay, I know you know there has been a tiny bit of tension but nothing realllllly bad).

Mom - I love you and miss you so much.  I will see you in Heaven.  Keep a glass of wine chilled for our first Happy Hour together in the Heavens!

Love, Your Baby Girl, Beth Ann

Sooooo…..send out a press release about being environmentally friendly and green with new packaging, and feel the love!

I mean it!  As a mom of three children (all of whom will be living on this Earth much longer than I God willing!) and educator of thousands of other children,  I recognize that the youth of today needs help from us adults ‘in charge’ right now.  Al Gore and other activists are right on the money when they state that we need to get real about global warming and all of the things going on around us because of what we have done to our environment.

I have been telling my husband, “It’s because of global warming.” or “That is happening due to global warming.” for years!  Literally years!!!  He many times dismissed my theory (knowing that Earth Science and the advanced classes along that line were not my forté!!!!!), but I am telling you all and him again - we must take off our blinders and do more than ever to save the physical earth for our children to have a safe place to live.

Read my press release today that has received wonderful reaction thus far from many…………………………….. 

Boca Beth Spanish Learning Sets Go Green and Global: New Children’s Music CD Cha-Chas with Bilingual Beats

Not only can children sing, dance and play their way to speaking Spanish with bilingual beats from Boca Beth, but they can do so with an environmentally friendly package. The CD comes in a recycled cardboard sleeve and uses soy-based inks. Bilingual learning has never been more fun or eco-friendly!

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) May 9, 2007 — Beth Butler, creator of Boca Beth Spanish Learning CDs and DVDs, delights children and parents this month with the release of her newest Boca Beth limited edition CD titled Sing Praise for Children. Not only can children sing, dance and play their way to speaking Spanish with hymns of faith and silly songs like La Cucaracha, but they can do so with an environmentally friendly package. The CD comes in a recycled cardboard sleeve and uses soy-based inks. Bilingual learning has never been more fun or eco-friendly!

It was important for us to start the transition to all environmentally-friendly products for our Boca Beth line. As a company that focuses on children, we strive to keep our business as green as we can for their future, and this is the start of a major effort that will soon mean that every product we offer will be eco-friendly

“It was important for us to start the transition to all environmentally-friendly products for our Boca Beth line. As a company that focuses on children, we strive to keep our business as green as we can for their future, and this is the start of a major effort that will soon mean that every product we offer will be eco-friendly,” says Beth Butler.

Additionally, the CD gets global with popular hip-swaying Latin American songs like ‘El chocolate.’

The CD’s catchy beats and easy-to-follow lyrics are a breakthrough in the children’s music industry, joining children’s Christian music with bilingual lyrics. Traditional children’s melodies transform into fun songs that introduce young children to Spanish and English, showing parents and teachers that it’s never too early to start bilingual learning. The album introduces more than fifty words and twenty phrases in Spanish and English to young children.

‘Sing Praise for Children/Canta la alabanza para los niños’ is recorded in Spanish and English for the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking markets. This limited edition 7-song CD retails for $6.99, is ideal for children ages birth-ten and is available online at bocabeth.com or by calling 1.877.825.2622. $1 from every sale of this CD will be donated to World Outreach Mission efforts.

About the Boca Beth Program
The Boca Beth Program is an award-winning company that develops products to bring Spanish and English together with music, movement and creativity. The multimedia product line of sing-along CDs and DVDs are designed to introduce children to a second language and other cultures, as well as make them lifetime language learners by wiring their brains for language acquisition.

The Boca Beth Learning Sets, which include CDs and DVDs, as well as puppets, coloring/activity books and musical shakers, have been the recipients of prestigious parenting and educational awards. Ms. Butler is a nationally acclaimed speaker on the topic of bringing Spanish and English together for young children in the home and in the classroom.

To schedule an interview or to book her for your next Early Childhood Conference, corporate family event, PTA / school function, retailer’s convention or children’s group, call their bilingual office in Tampa, FL 813.855.5393 or directly to Ms. Butler’s cell phone 813.244.1432 (se habla Español).

It’s been a wonderful day in so many ways.  I was so blessed to be invited to celebrate in the Day of the Children/Dia de los ninos.  Around my town of the Tampa Bay area there are many celebrations marking the Day of the Children with FREE programs at local libraries!  I was invited to share my Boca Beth interactive class with about 45 moms, grandmas, grandpas, aunts and preschool teachers with their children in tow!

We had a blast!  We sang!  We danced!  We played in Spanish and English!  Bay News 9 en Espanol took the time out to come and film the bilingual fun with the children, and I even had a chance to exchange many kind words and thoughts on bilingual learning with Sandra Pinto (a reporter with Bay News 9 en Espanol and terrific mom). 

Then I arrived back to my home office to great news of having the opportunity to have our bilingual DVDs on a major retailer shelf soon, soon, soon!  The hopes and dreams of every entrepreneur is to have their dream, their passion, their product in a major brick and mortar store so that we can reach the masses.  I have put something together that I know solves a very common problem of today’s parents worldwide, and finally I feel like I am making that break across the barriers to share what is really needed to improve the communication of our world’s youth - one song at a time!

But, truly the very best part of my day has been when our first grade daughter brought out her $1 after Ellen asked the kids to do so during the American Idol “Idol Gives Back” Special.  Megan asked me to donate her dollar while I donated our portion to the cause of saving children across our country and across the world.  I made the contribution with Megan typing in the URL and us working as a family unit to donate to others less fortunate.

What a gift!  What a moment in parenting!  I know that one day I will be able to give more - I want so much to do more!  I want to do live events with these children to bring smiles and love, I desire to hug and give besos/kisses to those children whose tears we saw across the big screen tonight, and I vow to make a difference with children facing tomorrow’s future.

I hope you have given to your favorite charity recently that provides for those less fortunate, I pray that you see the need to look beyond our fenced yards and wonderful lives, and I wish for a better tomorrow for those faces splashed across the big “American Idol” screen as we sat in the comfort of our homes tonight.

With love, hope and prayers -

Boca Beth

It’s been a really crazy start to 2007 (and then you might say, “Hey, Beth! Oye, did you notice it’s already April?!?!) I know, I know. It is April, but seriously, can YOU believe that one third of the year has almost zipped by us? On one hand it seems that ball dropped in Times Square ages and ages ago, then on another hand I distinctly remembering I would review where we were as a company in 2006 and set a clearer course for 2007 only days ago!

I am really looking forward to this new blog…after almost 5 months with the other blog host, it just wasn’t working. Now I have a new energy, a new sense of commitment (kind of like that diet we seem to start at the onset of a New Year or before a trip to some sunny beach!) to make this blog what it’s supposed to be for you and for me!

Back to that sense of direction, clearer course for 2007! I made it my personal goal this year to increase my live events where I would share my passion for second language learning/fun/introduction for young children via their teachers, care providers and parents. I have booked myself with keynote engagements and workshops on the topics of being a motivated educator to bringing Spanish fun to children to creating great readers with Boca Beth bilingual beats! I will be presenting in Florida many times, Ohio, California and Arkansas along with trips planned to Washington and Puerto Rico. I encourage any of you who want me to speak at your family child care association conferences, homeschooling conventions, your moms’ group conventions, your family expo events and so on to simply give us a call on our toll free number, 1.877.825.2622 or e-mail me today!

Tomorrow I do another of my many live interactive Spanish and English classes for children ages birth to six. Last week we had a 4-month-old just staring at BOCA the puppet and me, Boca Beth, dancing and singing to our bilingual music while her big brother played with our shapes during our “I Know My Shapes/Yo sé mis formas” song. (Click right there to read the easy-to-learn lyrics from my second Boca Beth CD.) It’s going to be a busy Summer ahead with these local classes at libraries, and it’s soooooo cool because they are free for the moms and kids! It really gives me a chance to get hands on with the little ones (and realize that I best get back on the treadmill more often if I am going to keep pace with these preschoolers!).

So, it’s off to the world of wonderful blogging, pinging, learning and growing! Wish me well on this journey and check back for some cool stuff ahead!

Happy Educating! ¡Sea feliz educando!

Boca Beth