Santa Sings For You: The Magic of Memory-Making (and Not Paying Royalties)

Welcome to Episode 22 of On the Ground Parenting! Hosts Sandy, Sam, and Kelly are joined by special guest Russ Clayton, a recently retired elementary school teacher, children's musician, and community theater performer known during the holiday season as Santa Sings For You! Russ shares his unique journey from children's singer to kindergarten teacher, explaining how early musical performances shaped his career. The conversation highlights the profound impact simple songs and joyful experiences have on children's development and long-lasting memories. Russ opens up about the two women who most inspired his music: his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Crawford, who melted away anxiety on the very first day , and his Aunt Beatrice, who took five or six "wacky cousins" to a cottage for six weeks every summer, knowing she was gifting them memories that would last a lifetime. The hosts discuss Russ's current role as Santa Sings For You complete with a six-month beard growth, and his work on TikTok, where he connects with thousands of followers, often hearing that he is "healing my childhood right now" for adults and teens. He emphasizes that the magic of Santa is making people feel seen, heard, and accepted. Subscribe for a new podcast every Wednesday! Have a question, suggestion, or want to tax-deductibly sponsor an episode of On The Ground Parenting? Send us a message: https://linktr.ee/onthegroundparenting A Call for Support: This episode also serves as a special platform for the Muskoka Family Focus Parent Ed team to request support, either with a one-time donation or by signing up for our Patreon,  https://patreon.com/OnTheGroundParenting. We need your financial support to ensure we can continue offering  free educational programming and keep the podcast running. Donations over $20 are tax-deductible.