Being a parent is crazy tough, and doing it on your own is even tougher. Balancing your kid’s activities, school, house chores and everything else we do can be so tiring. Whether you homeschool like I do, send your kids to public or private school, at some point more than likely, the idea of playing an instrument will pop up.
It’s an idea that most parents dread. The noise, the cost, the impatience…all the little joys. Yes, leaning to play a musical instrument is wonderful and has so many benefits for a child. So how do you weigh the pros and cons? Let’s go over some essential advice for what to do in this situation, shall we?
If you haven’t reached the point yet where your child has asked for music lessons, then know it’s probably coming. Just about every parent reaches that point. Maybe they heard a piece of music that they particularly like and want to recreate, perhaps their friends are starting up a band, maybe a lesson at school piqued their interest. Whatever their reason, you should encourage them wholeheartedly, even though you may not exactly thrilled. But here are a few sage pieces of advice for you to consider along the way.
When choosing an instrument with your little one, you will want to bear in mind various factors. Cost is a major one – while all instruments are equal, some will cost a whole lot more than others to purchase and learn to play. A piano, for example, is a large investment piece and something that you will ideally have to purchase if your kid is going to be able to get enough practice time at home. Piano lessons also come hand in hand with a notoriously high price tag.
A beginner’s guitar, on the other hand, will come at a much lower price and your child could watch free online tutorials to pick up chords and notes. Next, you need to consider volume. Some instruments can be played at a lower volume effectively and others create a racket. Remember that you’re potentially going to be listening to this instrument being played in your home for years to come if your children take to it, so make sure it’s something that you can bear.
No matter what instrument your little one ends up picking, there are various ways to save money down the line. This is huge for us single moms who need to save money however and wherever we can.
Always look for a free alternative before forking out for expensive materials or resources. You can find plenty of music for your little one to learn through sites like easyukulelesongs.com and as we have briefly mentioned before, there are plenty of brilliant free tutorials on video streaming sites such as Youtube.
Make a schedule for your little ones practice sessions. There’s a pretty good chance that your neighbors really won’t appreciate your little one’s attempt to become the newest member of a heavy metal band if they start practicing at nine o’clock every evening. You also need to set boundaries regarding when your kids can and cannot play their instruments.
After all, you don’t want them hopping out of bed to try out an elaborate drumroll in the middle of the night when you’re fast asleep. So, have a designated room for practicing music and a cut off time that they have to put the instruments down. This will keep everyone happy. You and your neighbors won’t be disturbed, and your child will be able to expand their knowledge and skill comfortably and at a good pace.
Learning an instrument is likely to be a wholly positive experience for your little one, so you should fully endorse their aspirations. But the advice above can help you to save a whole lot of money and maintain a little peace of mind. Enjoy the creative and musical fun your child can experience and who knows, maybe your kid will go pro with their new found talent!
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