If you’ve ever felt like a strict parent pushing your child to practice a musical instrument, you’re not alone. I’ve told my son that quitting his guitar lessons is simply not an option. And I mean it!
While the endless strumming of chords can sometimes make me question my sanity, and the constant nagging to practice can make me cringe, every parent loves a classic “I told you so” moment. A new study from the University of Vermont is giving parents everywhere the chance to say just that. James Hobson, the study’s lead author and a professor at the university, aimed to explore whether engaging in positive activities like music could influence the developing minds of children. The results suggest that music might just work wonders on our kids’ brains.
If you’ve been encouraging your child to practice that piano piece for the hundredth time, you may be doing them a huge favor. Not only will they develop impressive musical skills, but they might also emerge as more well-rounded individuals. According to a report in The Daily Chronicle, this study examined how musical training impacts the minds of healthy children, leaving parents thrilled about their investment in music lessons.
The study found that the thickness of the developing cortex in children’s brains—linked to memory, attention, organization, impulse control, and emotional regulation—was positively affected by music training. Hobson stated, “Our research revealed that the more a child practices an instrument, the faster their cortical organization improves in areas like attention skills and emotional control.” So, the next time you’re about to lose your mind over the same tune being played over and over, remember that you’re fostering your child’s growth in multiple ways.
In a fast-paced society, music and arts education often gets sidelined, so I made the choice to invest in lessons myself. Initially, I wanted my son to learn discipline and gain a skill that might come in handy someday. Who knows when he might be asked to perform in front of an audience or, heaven forbid, at a karaoke night with his buddies?
But beyond that, Hobson and his team discovered that encouraging our kids to learn a musical instrument might actually be just what they need to excel in other areas, including academics. What parent wouldn’t want their child to be more organized, do better in school, and develop emotional maturity? Hobson continued, “I was curious about the positive influences on child development, and I was surprised at how much we can enhance emotional regulation through music. Just like lifting weights builds muscle, training the brain works similarly.”
So, here’s the silver lining for us parents: we can urge our kids to keep practicing, knowing it’s a workout for the very parts of their brains we hope to nurture—maturity and emotional control. Plus, it’s comforting to think that music might help a child struggling with anxiety or even depression.
Reflecting on my own experience, I took piano lessons for seven years but chose to quit when high school hit. It’s one of my biggest regrets; I often wish I could still sit down and play. As a parent, I feel it’s vital to encourage my kids in this area, and now I know I’m on the right path.
Unfortunately, many public school systems don’t provide adequate musical training, with arts education often getting the short end of the stick. At my child’s elementary school, after-school music classes are available for a fee, but not all schools are so fortunate. Tom Richards, a contributor at Family Beat, highlights the scientific reasons we should prioritize music education. “Three-quarters of high school students rarely or never receive extracurricular lessons in music or the arts, depriving them of invaluable skills.” Studies have shown that learning music can enhance children’s spatial-temporal abilities, aiding in complex math problem-solving, and even improving reading comprehension and verbal skills—especially for children learning English as a second language.
In short, music might just be the secret ingredient for a child who struggles with anxiety, maturity, or even math homework. So it’s time to consider signing your kids up for violin lessons or encouraging them to work just as hard on their music as they do on their studies.
Building character through music practice might be a solid argument now. When your child expresses frustration and talks about quitting, just smile and remind them that it’s all for their benefit. Good news for us parents—we love being right, and now we have science to back us up.
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Summary
New research from the University of Vermont highlights the significant benefits of music training for children, impacting their cognitive development and emotional regulation. Parents investing in music lessons are not just teaching discipline; they’re contributing to their children’s overall personal growth and academic success.