When homeschooling your children, it can be difficult to ensure that they receive a well-rounded education. Music may get left behind, particularly if you have no musical ability or interest yourself; yet it forms a vital part of a child’s development, instilling valuable sensory and motor skills, as well as creativity. It can be especially difficult to get teenagers interested in music if they haven’t already shown an interest, so it can really help to think outside the box at times!
Turning your teen towards music
Music is a great way for teenagers to express themselves, particularly during confusing, daunting, or emotional times. It allows them to tell you how they are feeling, or to release anxiety or anger, and can help them to move forward in their development and education. A newfound love of music may even help your teen to concentrate better during their studies.
It is important not to force your musical tastes on your teenager. Encourage them to develop their own tastes and passions that will reflect their personalities. However, there is no reason why you can’t use your own musical favorites as a basis for discussion, inspiring them to decide what they do and don’t like.
Learning a new instrument
Encouraging your teenager to learn a musical instrument is a great way to impart wisdom and inspire a love of music. Rather than simply listening to music, tempting your teenager to pick up a musical instrument will motivate them to read music, discover more about the instrument, and investigate the sounds it can make; they will become fully immersed in the music around them, rather than letting it merely pass them by. Learning to play will also make music inherently more interesting, and it is a fantastic gift to give to a child of any age. Learning an instrument will teach your teen responsibility, accountability and discipline as well as increasing self-esteem and encouraging social interaction. It is never too late for you, or your teenager, to begin this journey.
There are a number of ways that your teenager can learn a new instrument, from attending lessons with a private tutor to utilizing the world wide web; there are various resources available on the internet that are useful if you wish to break away from the norm and try different instruments such as the ocarina, a small but popular instrument.
Being able to record the progress that you make together is another fantastic way of keeping your teenager interested in music. Children of all ages love to look back on what they’ve been doing, and using recording equipment together can be great fun – a little like working together in your own music studio. Who knows, your teen may decide they fancy the rock or pop star lifestyle and surprise you with their enthusiasm and determination. Indeed, they may be more likely to keep up their new hobby if they see a truly reachable goal ahead.
Music is something that can be discovered at any age, and it is a great way to build bonds between parents and children. Discovering new music together, for example, is a journey that you and your teenagers can take together; they will thank you for the time and interest you have taken and shown, and you may even find that you learn a little about each other along the way.