With so much emphasis on sports these days, it’s easy to understand the crowded soccer fields on the weekends, and the increasing demands of athletics for youth. Yet, I believe we often forget about the fine arts. Some cultures foster both fine arts and athletics in their children, but, at least in my neighborhood, most families choose to focus on soccer, basketball, gymnastics, dance, and/or martial arts.
In other words, physically demanding activities.
I have found that, unless you as a parent are musically inclined and notice musical talent in your child, many parents may think it best not to force their children into music.
But, come on, admit it – we sort of coax our little ones into sports – and into other activities we value. And, unlike sports, which are often introduced in P.E. classes, your child’s exposure to music is dependent on whether their school has a music program or if they see it at home.
For many children, music is an experience they may never know to miss until they are grown…
Imagine if we expose our children to music at a young age! Imagine if we sign them up for classes and recitals to build up their confidence in skills that make the world beautiful. That will help them speak a language that translates to every tongue. That transmits emotion, laughter, sorrow, joy, and love, with ease for the accomplished musician.
It is a feat and mastery over what’s comfortable. It is painfully hard – it requires so much practice of seemingly mundane tasks. But the life lessons and foundations laid before them in childhood will build as they grow.
They learn to perform on a stage, and captivate an audience.
They learn how to play with a group like an orchestra or band, and find what I believe may just be the closest thing to real harmony and peace with over 100 other people, just for the sake of beauty!
For the sake of music!
Music opens up a world for children that they may never know if we don’t encourage it ourselves.
Which is why I finally signed up my kids for guitar and piano lessons a few months back with US Music Lessons. At an affordable price, they either send teachers to your home for 30-minute classes, or you can go to their studio for lessons. The owner is passionate about fostering music in youth, holds recitals at wonderful venues, and has some really awesome teachers! Plus, they also teach adults, in case you have been itching to try a new instrument.
This is not a sponsored post, nor do I get any benefit from them for writing this – I am just offering one easy way to get your little ones into music.
And I know it doesn’t mean my kids will be concert pianists when they grow up (although we can’t discount the idea yet…), but at the very least, they will have grown up with a deeper appreciation for something so very raw and human, it is bound to make them better people.
And that is the goal, isn’t it?
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”
― Plato
