Community Corner
Music to Our Ears
Music is all around us. Take a peek at the opportunities for your child, they are right in your own backyard.
Music is in our blood from the time we are born. The hums and gibberish baby sings when she is soothing herself to sleep or the bang bang bang rhythm that she makes with her toys, the instinct is there. Kids love music.
Parents can be active or passive when cultivating the love of a tune. That decision is also going to be based on the parent’s passion for music. Ideas that Mom’s have shared include:
- Turn on the music instead of the TV
- Encourage your child to sing the songs they are learning in preschool/school at home
- Don’t be afraid to sing in your own home/car/wherever - lead by example
- Provide your child with instruments, even if it is a wooden spoon and pot from the kitchen
- Music lessons
- Expose your child to different types of music (i.e. classical, jazz, Latin, folk)
- Bring your child to concerts (Tuesday evening in the Plaza, anyone?)
- Take advantage of band or any other musical events at your child’s school
A few of these ideas I’d like to expand on, the first being events at your child’s school. is happening this week at our local Healdsburg schools. The program, sponsored by the , gives kids the opportunity to train with music professionals and concludes with a free Jazz concert for the kids (see the related article). The program could ignite that spark in your child, so run with it!
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Bringing your child to a concert may not be at the top of your to-do list, but the Tuesday Evening in the Plaza is the perfect venue for families (see http://www.ci.healdsburg.ca.us for more info). First off, its free. Secondly, your child does not have to sit in a seat during the entire event. And third, every week there is a different genre playing. There are so many more positive aspects, but you will just have to go downtown when the series begins and experience it for yourself.
I don’t know that there is a right or wrong approach for teaching your child an appreciation for music. I do know that music is there for the taking. It can simply be the background noise in our everyday life or an instrument to express ourselves. Music is such a simple tool that we all can provide to our children.
