One of best life skills that you can provide to your child is the opportunity to take piano lessons. When they are too old for hockey, their knees are too stiff to run and bodies are not limber enough to dance, they will still be able to sit at a keyboard.
I am a proponent of team sports and large amounts of physical activity for kids. However, I think it often comes at the expense of participating in other interests that make a well-rounded person.
What used to be a sport “season” in high school now has become a year-long commitment that encompasses pre-season conditioning, intensive practice, weekend tournaments and games.
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Music is best learned when young. Adolescence is the time to put music lessons into the schedule. Many studies have been done about how piano lessons raise conceptual math scores, improve verbal memory, improve SAT scores and help communication skills.
Additionally, young piano students gain a great deal of self-confidence when they are able to perform music for their friends.
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Plan now to incorporate piano lessons into the family schedule. The benefits are obvious and the rewards are life-long for both you and your child. Find a teacher that fits your schedule, is enthusiastic and structures lessons for your child. This will lead to a successful piano experience.
—Dawn Cousins is a piano instructor and owns Tunes2You
