Five Reasons to Give Your Children Music Lessons
1. Music lessons connect young people with the sheer joy o music. Stimulating the mind and the imagination through sound, music is a language all its own. For young people, music lessons are the first and most important step to making that language their very own. The joy of playing a musical instrument can last a life time. The basics learned as a fourth or fifth grader open the door to more advanced participation in bands, orchestras or combos in junior and senior high school and possibly even into college. Even more important learning the fundamentals involved in playing and instrument allow children to make the joy of music their very own.
2. Music lessons can help children to build confidence and self esteem. Children taking music lessons learn to play notes sequentially from lesson to less. With each simple skill they acquire children add to their own pyramid of musical knowledge and achievement. Learning to play even that very first note provides its own unique sense of accomplishment. Children can listen to and marvel at their own strides. Playing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little star is truly miraculous for someone who a few weeks ago didn’t know how to h old an instrument in the correct fashion. As a regular activity in a child’s weekly schedule music lessons give children the structure within which they will gradually build confidence and self esteem. For children who may be struggling even at an early age with academics or with social adjustment, music provides an avenue for success and socialization with other fledgling musicians.
3. In a world where they may feel bombarded by violent or highly competitive activities, children are likely to find that music lessons provide skills that can be used to build their own calm, peaceful and enjoyable leisure activity. There are many children who do not feel drawn to hard hitting or confrontational sports or games ore even the computerized versions of such games. Providing your child music lessons may well mean giving them an option for the productive and enjoyable use of their free time. In time music lessons can help your child to build the kind of skills that will allow him or her to participate in a band or other musical ensemble. There your child will find large numbers of other young people who have discovered the joy and sense of personal accomplishment that music lessons can bring into their lives.
4. Parents want their children to grow not just in stature but also in their seen of responsibility. Music lessons can help children to become less dependent on adults and more likely to take charge of their own free time. Attending music lessons requires that children practice between sessions. As a results children learn to make decisions and choices about how, where and when they will practice. They will learn that to be successful at the next lesson they have to develop a personal schedule for practice and then they have to stick with it. According to the instrument that your child selects, he or she will have to learn the basic care and maintenance neede to keep the instrument performance ready. Perhaps more than anything they have experienced before , music lesson truly belong to children and this sense of ownership can encourage young people to develop both personal discipline and responsibility.
5. Music lessons can give you and your child a new place to bond. Even though you as the parent are not taking music lessons yourself the experience is something you can actively share, encourage and nurture. Listening in and providing encouragement as your child struggles with a new tune can create a new bond of two way respect . Taking your child to a concert where his or her instrument is featured prominently can give re-enforcement to your child’s willingness to develop skills. Providing CD’s, even borrowed ones from the library , unexpectedly can show your child your interest and may help you to get a better comprehension and appreciation for his or her own growth as a musician. And of course attending any and ll performances in which your child takes part and then sharing the highlights and the low can help you and your child to see each other with new eyes and new respect.
Music lessons and the skills which they help to produce can give you a new road into the mind, heart, imagination and life of your child. Your openness to music lessons and music in your child’s life may help your children to see you in a new way as well.
