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The children who are being forced to take music lessons have one way to immediately retaliate.
Drums.
And neighbors have a way to retaliate to that. Just ask the kid to find out what's inside the drum.
Oh, and I was forced to take dance lessons (international rhythm) as a kid. Hated them, hated them, hated them! Gained absolutely nothing from it, then forgot it like a nightmare. Ironically, when I took dance lessons in my 20's on my own accord, I had a blast doing it and it helped me meet women.
Last edited by MillennialUrbanist; 11-23-2016 at 10:44 AM..
And neighbors have a way to retaliate to that. Just ask the kid to find out what's inside the drum.
Oh, and I was forced to take dance lessons (international rhythm) as a kid. Hated them, hated them, hated them! Gained absolutely nothing from it, then forgot it like a nightmare. Ironically, when I took dance lessons in my 20's on my own accord, I had a blast doing it and it helped me meet women.
Honestly I was like that with soccer. Couldn't stand it as a kid but years later, in high school, I figured out I was a deadly goalie and loved it.
Unfortunately I was also identifying as female at the time and was way too aggressive for the girls team but the coach said no when the boys team was suggested for fear of "hurting me" when, in reality, I literally had guys afraid to play against a 15yo with surprisingly good crotch aim. Oh well, their loss.
Honestly I was like that with soccer. Couldn't stand it as a kid but years later, in high school, I figured out I was a deadly goalie and loved it.
For me, the reason for the like/dislike dichotomy was different. Dance Lessons 1.0 were in third grade, "recommended" (yeah, let's call it that) by well-meaning relatives. It was pretty male-friendly (no ballet-type stuff), but I still hated it. Not to mention, when you're 9 years old, holding hands with girls isn't exactly appealing.
Dance Lessons 2.0 were in my 20's, at what's now one of the top dance schools in Chicago. Big difference! I tried so many dances, and stuck with a few to this day. Does wonders for general socialization, not just romantically. Actually dancing with a lady while most people just shake their groove thing makes you stand out in a good way.
Last edited by MillennialUrbanist; 11-23-2016 at 11:55 AM..
I fully believe, as a life long musician myself, DESIRE must be present if a child approaches an instrument. Anything else becomes a vague childhood memory, and small talk when you meet new people as an adult.
It is a shame that it takes about a year to enjoy/learn an instrument. I think it is a wonderful skill. It is difficult to keep a child interested in if the progress is slow. Learning an instrument is a slow progress. It is also so depended on the teacher. One of my sons continued on with it. My other two had lousy teachers in middle/high school.
It is never, ever a waste to learn a musical instrument.
The children who are being forced to take music lessons have one way to immediately retaliate.
Drums.
It is called Percussion. Getting into Percussion is probably one of the musical instruments kids will stay with. It doesn't take long to be able to "be cool". It was the best thing I encouraged my middle son to learn. And yes, we did purchase a drum set--and you better bet I wanted to hear it. Drums played correctly are wonderful. I could also be a little bit of a mean witch when other kids came over--I would not let them "play" on the drums. Hearing kids beat on the drums, who do not know how to play, is not a good thing.
I don't believe in forcing my child to do any activities like music, art or sports that he doesn't want to do. We expose him to all of it and then ask which activities he wants to do. I'm a big fan of encouraging but not forcing. Activities like this should be fun and if they're not we don't do them. That said if he starts one he has to finish out the class series or season. No quitting half way through.
So far he's more into sports and acting but over time I'm sure that will change. Also at 6 1/2 he can write basic SQL queries because he is interested in it so I taught him. We'll continue to feed his interests so he can find and achieve what makes him happy but not overextend to the point that it's overly stressful or grades suffer. Each child is different and each one's interests will be too so there really isn't a universal approach.
As for techies I am all for teaching kids coding if they want to learn it. If not they can decide to down the road if they want to. Outsourcing occurs but if you develop advanced skills you'll always have a job and if you're good at your job new opportunities find you.
I'm familiar with the term. I wasn't being entirely serious with my previous post.
When I went to see an audiologist not long ago, while filling out the medical form that asked about past noise exposure, I just wrote "Learned to play drums at age 8." Age 8 was half-a-century ago.
My parents weren't forcing me to learn an instrument, I just wanted to play drums. Fortunately, my dad was friends with a guy who was a drummer in the Naval Academy Band, so he didn't oppose my choice of instrument. My instructor, Mr. Jon Woodford, wisely had all first-year drum students get a practice pad rather than a drum, so parents only had to deal with a clickety-click instead of the WHAM! WHAM! of a snare drum. If a student showed enough interest and progress to continue to second-year lessons, he (at that time, drum batteries were still pretty much all-male) got a drum at that time. My dad's friend loaned me a beautiful Ludwig Super Classic snare for a few years, until I got my first set.
It is a shame that it takes about a year to enjoy/learn an instrument. I think it is a wonderful skill. It is difficult to keep a child interested in if the progress is slow. Learning an instrument is a slow progress. It is also so depended on the teacher. One of my sons continued on with it. My other two had lousy teachers in middle/high school.
It is never, ever a waste to learn a musical instrument.
It is a very slow process but it can't be forced upon. My older son started violin at 3rd grade (Our district require all 3rd and 4th grader be introduce to an instrument). He continued with his violin in 5th grade but only on what the school was teaching (very limited). In 6th grade, his music teacher recommended a teacher for private lesson. I am so glad he showed an interest in the private lesson. He is now a freshman in HS and is still playing the violin. He very seldom practice at home since he spent most of the school class time practicing. He understands that he will not be pursuing music but it is something that he will have the rest of live.
My younger son, even having been through the same teacher showed no interests in the violin after 4th grade.
It is a shame that it takes about a year to enjoy/learn an instrument. I think it is a wonderful skill. It is difficult to keep a child interested in if the progress is slow. Learning an instrument is a slow progress. It is also so depended on the teacher. One of my sons continued on with it. My other two had lousy teachers in middle/high school.
It is never, ever a waste to learn a musical instrument.
I am possibly the single most tone deaf person you'd ever, ever meet in your life.
I can appreciate music, but.. I can't make it. I tried music via the trombone in school, I couldn't succeed at it.. I tried later in life with a harmonica, which to my ear is one of the best, most soulful sounding instruments ever.. Can't do it.
My nephew.. He picked up the trombone in 5th grade or so.. Loves it. Good at it. we encourage it. But, there are people who have that artistic streak, and those that don't.
Just a funny story.. He is now 14 and in 8th grade.. in "Jazz" band. over last summer he was excited to tell me that this year he would be "Lead Tromboner".. he's also reached the age where he figured out what he had said and why I couldn't stop laughing after he said it. Not reached the age where he figures out not to say it in the first place, but..
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