Music and arts are unfortunately seen as distractions from more ‘productive’ activities by parents in today’s material world. Let us not make machines of our children who forever have to be productive. While yes headphones can be bad for your child’s ears; the music itself is not. You must always remember Nietzsche, “without music, life would be a mistake.”
There are a number of reasons not to discourage your child in arts and music; instead to direct his or her interest in a more critical manner and even encourage them. Some of these are:
- They encourage imagination which is the most precious quality in today’s world.
- They develop compassion in your child – one of the most underrated qualities these days and is crucial in the development of moral aptitude and emotional intelligence.
3. They build your child’s ability to express themselves, something that can help them do better in academics.
4. Habits like interest in literature can encourage your child to think critically; a quality which helps your child be more intelligent.
5. They relax your child. And these destressing activities are crucial amidst the pressure created by competition in academics.
6. They are a far better way for your child to focus their energies in; compared to some of the toxic activities they might otherwise indulge in such as gossiping, gang fights, bullying, alcohol, smoking, narcotics, etc.
7. Arts, music, in particular, have been called food for the soul and very good reasons. Without them, your child’s soul might feel stifled.
8. They are simply the best way to achieve the cultural development of your child.
9. When properly directed, an interest in good art and music will help your child to stay focus on things that matter in life rather than trivial gossips and trivia.
10. They provide alternative career opportunities for your child as painters, musicians, writers, literature writers, bloggers, etc.
11. They invest your child with a lot of information which can be very handy when they have to make the biggest choices in life. The schools and academics won’t teach them how to be with a person whom they are in love with, how to raise their children, how to tell someone is right for you, what they should when a friend is in need of emotional support, how to make someone crying smile even sex education. Such things can only be learned through books or movies.
Read Also: Indoor games and activities for your children that are both fun and Educative
As the last word, we must add that though we think you should encourage your child’s interest in whatever art they are interested in; we also recommend you to direct it in better directions; otherwise bad art (YA stuff, Bollywood college romances, etc) – directed towards youth because they are most vulnerable to bad art, is what might get your child’s attention in today’s world where aesthetic is often compromised on by artists for commercial benefits.