When I was in 3rd grade we were learning about different musical instruments. Casio Keyboards, flutes, drums, tambourines, and my favorite the guitar.

Our teacher had brought in a bunch of instruments and we sat in a circle trying out the sounds they all made from the triangle, to tapping spoons on the back of a tin pan. You basically could make an instrument out of anything. This actually was our homework assignment for the week. Make your own instrument, and be ready to play it in from of the class on Friday.

My head was spinning because I knew I wanted to make something great, but I knew we lacked materials at home….I  got worried just thinking of what I could be able to make…

I should take some dry beans in a can and shake them, then I thought my mom only bought pork and beans, so that wouldn’t work…..I could get some rice and shake that in a Tupperware container…Hmm I would get a whooping for taking that Uncle Ben’s rice out the house and nobody touched the Tupperware back in the day, you had to order tupperware..it was a luxury item.

I got home and looked around the house for something they wouldn’t miss…something that would make music….I don’t know why but I decided to make a guitar.

I took a empty rice krispy cereal box, a empty paper towel roll, and told my dad I needed him to cut the front and wrap rubber-bands on it to make a musical sound.

My dad cut the box, duct taped the paper towel roll, but my dad decided being the know it all he is, he would use dental floss for my guitar string….WHY??!!!

I get to school and I’m embarrassed to take it out and show the class because not only is it ugly, I knew it wasn’t going to make a sound….of course I finally went after everyone showed off their great instruments….I opened up my cabbage patch kid book bag took out the crushed cereal box, the paper towel roll had fallen off, so I held it together.

I stood in front of the class and played my silent dental floss guitar…not one single sound. I then starting making the sounds with my mouth…you know the “doing boing” sound rubber bands make? I think I played “Old MacDonald had a farm” doing doing boing boooinggg boinggggg but I put a little tempo on it after all it was supposed to be a guitar right?

The kids laughed at me, my teacher just stood there in shock. She said I could take a seat, so with 50 barrettes in my hair I sat down  back in the circle with my smashed cereal box dental floss guitar.

If your child has a simple project such as making a musical instrument, give them some dry rice, beans, a tin pan, a spoon, or go to Pinterest for help, but do not send your child to school with anything similar to my guitar.