When I tell someone that I teach piano, the initial response I get is, “I wish I had taken piano lessons when I was younger” or “I wish my mom would force me to continue piano lessons instead of letting me quit.” Since I started teaching in 1992, no one has ever said, “I wish I hadn’t learned to play the piano.” As adults and parents, we seem to understand how essential and beneficial it is to learn to play an instrument in our childhood. and teenage years.
Parents have several reasons to invest in music lessons for their children. One of the main reasons is parents’ belief that music lessons will help their children in school. And they are right! This is one of the top 5 reasons why children need to learn to play a musical instrument. As research shows, taking music lessons has numerous benefits, especially in developing intelligence and character.
Here are 5 top reasons to get your kids involved in music lessons.
1. Music lessons improve brain development.
Many research studies have been conducted to measure the effects of learning a musical instrument on cognitive development. The findings indicate that children who take music lessons for several years show greater improvement in the spatiotemporal reasoning skills that are necessary to learn math and science. Kids who make music outperform their classmates who don’t take reading comprehension lessons. Additionally, children who take music lessons benefit from better memory skills. When we look at the research, it’s easy to see that taking music lessons for an extended period of time gives kids an academic edge to the point of boosting IQ and SAT scores. Your children will be smarter!
2. Music lessons teach children how to achieve goals.
Setting goals is crucial to progress in whatever we pursue, whether it’s a passion or not. Usually, if we are passionate about something, we pursue that “something” by setting our own goals. Many times others set goals for us, including our parents, teachers, bosses, coaches, the government, religious leaders, or peers. Goal setting is an important part of everyday life and is the first step in achieving a sense of accomplishment. Mastery of an instrument is a long-term goal that is achieved over a period of years. To achieve this goal, the music teacher and student must set and achieve short-term goals that will ultimately lead to long-term achievement. One of the greatest rewards of being a music teacher is helping young students become world-class musicians and performers over the course of their elementary through high school years. Some students continue with music as a career. Others go on to pursue other passions. Whatever their activities, taking music lessons has taught them how to progress towards their dreams.
3. Music lessons develop self-discipline in children.
We all know that anything worth having in life is not easy and that with hard work and perseverance we can achieve great things. How do we instill the character qualities of self-determination and discipline in our children who live in a fast-paced society that has grown accustomed to immediate gratification? Music lessons are a fun and effective way to help a child learn self-discipline. Students find motivation in the music they are learning. However, to perform this music well, they must constantly practice. As the music teacher helps a student structure weekly practice time, the student is empowered to learn music through self-discipline. The development of the skill of self-discipline can be adapted to achieve goals in other areas, such as academics and sports.
4. Music lessons help children to become independent and self-sufficient adults.
Many child psychologists agree that a child’s happiness and ability to become an independent and successful adult is highly dependent on that child’s sense of self-esteem and confidence. The qualities of children with high self-esteem include:
• face new challenges
• be independent and true to themselves
• take responsibility for your decisions and actions
• have self-confidence and pride in their abilities
These characteristics can be developed with consistent music lessons throughout childhood and adolescence. New challenges are regularly addressed in music lessons by learning a new piece or song, learning a new technique, or progressing to a higher skill level. As students progress in learning a musical instrument, they can choose the music they like to play: classical, pop, country, etc. Being true to yourself is recognizing what you love most and going after it. The decision to practice or not to practice can have its consequences, and students must structure their practice to progress. Seeing students perform in front of an audience is a highlight for teachers, parents, family, and friends. Students experience a great sense of accomplishment after a performance.
5. Music lessons promote self-expression and creativity
The world’s greatest leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators and inventors have one thing in common: creativity. This creativity can evolve into the power of invention. Think of Benjamin Franklin and the many inventions of his that grew out of his creativity to discover improvements in the way things worked. Making music naturally sparks self-expression and creativity, and the ability for students to express themselves confidently and creatively opens incredible doors of opportunity.
As you think about which extracurricular activities to choose for your children, consider the true returns on your investment. We all want our children to live life to the fullest and experience great happiness while pursuing their dreams. Sometimes they need a little guidance from us. We invest in our children’s future by providing opportunities like music lessons. Taking music lessons cultivates qualities that lead to lifelong success. Make learning a musical instrument a priority in your home and encourage your children every step of the way.
