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I can tell you from personal experience and from my heart that “The Arts” in all their form “Music, Theater, Paintings, Crafts, Games…etc” are vital in a child’s life. Exposing children to arts and creativity unlocks potential and mental ways of thinking you wouldn’t believe. Music especially helps children socially, logically, intellectually and emotionally in ways that forever shape the way they think in the future. My son for instance is only five and is only his 2nd week of drum lessons, he can know the difference between a quarter note, eighth and sixteenth notes. He can hit his snare drum in a pattern to those notes, he can read in silent notes and know when to pause his hits. His counting has always been very good but his grasp of timing and mathematics behind musical notes astounds me at how fast he can pick it up and learn.
Every child in this country should be encouraged to learn how to play a musical instrument, any musical instrument. They should be taught to read sheet music and experiment with a few instruments (Guitar, Flute, Drums, Trombone) whatever they want. The younger the age the better as they will develop that sense of creativity and understanding that will make it easier for them in the future. There are studies that show that music students are much better at mathematics, testing and even in problem solving. Kids who are creative with music have less stress, less depression, less tendency to turn to drug use, (don’t let the rock music folks fool you). Not just music but art in general, let them paint with oils or acrylics, let them sculpt in clay. Buy them a pack of high quality modeling clay that you can bake and make their creation a permanent decoration for their bedroom. Expose them to local museums and art shows if you are able, especially go out and see free live local music bands for all ages audiences.
The more things you expose your kids to the more “Worldly” they will become and more educated, creative and open minded they will become. The less they are exposed to the more rigid and closed their world will be, and it is harder as an adult to open your mind than to have it open as a kid and let it stay that way throughout your entire life. I like all sorts of gaming, but some games are better than others, I can justify Role Playing games for children more than hackem/killem games. Role playing games they have hit points, magic points, skills, points, numbers…etc
My five year old goes around pretending his toys are certain levels and he will tell me one has between 10 and 20 hit points and another does 6-15 points of damage. He understands ranges of numbers, and at 5 he can count to one hundred almost flawlessly. I mentioned before we rudimentary role play where I roll dice during a story to see if he hits or misses, or does whatever and he has to read me the numbers or add them together. This type of role playing and rolling leads to him learning to count faster, and numbers come very easily to him.
Children need hobbies, passions and encouragement for anything artistic and creative, if they are the lazy type, then help push them along a bit. Convince them to give something new a try, one free class for an instrument, try it for 4 weeks, then you can try something else. Don’t ever force to where they are unhappy, crying or just miserable, but don’t let laziness get them out of trying something new and different. The more you experiment and try to expose them, some of it will stick and later in life they will thank you for exposing them to it.
You will hear “Yeah my mom had me try drumming, guitar, clay modeling, painting, soccer, volleyball, swimming classes…etc” and today I like and enjoy doing those things as a result of my mom exposing me to it, or getting me to try it as a kid.
You shape your children s future and you want it to be filled with open creativity and happiness, because they will find what they “want” to do faster and easier if you expose them to as much that is out there as possible.
Just some of my parental opinions.
-Justin Germino
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