One of the more telling characteristics of day and age is the level of stress that has become evident in children. The days of “kids just being kids” have fallen by the wayside and been replaced with the same go-go schedule and expectations that seem to have engulfed the general adult population. Whether it’s an advent of new technology, more rigorous standards and practices on all tasks at school and home, or the continual pressures to “keep up with the Joneses,” kids are truly pulled in different directions.
These stresses also become compounded by the very nature of the child — the need for exploration and pursuing interests that excite them. Music lessons are often part of this exploration, with the child citing an interest in learning a musical instrument because they have friends that are taking lessons or they would like to play a song they heard on the radio. These interests, while valuable and substantiated, are not weighed out with pros and cons. Rather, these interests are spur of the moment and somewhat reactive. What’s more, the child is often young and not savvy enough to understand that they may already have a significant workload, with school and other extracurricular activities making music lessons more of a hassle than a genuinely positive experience. Couple this with Mom and Dad shuffling around their own schedules to meet the demands of their kids’ academic and extracurricular activities, and trying to fit in music lessons becomes a chore for them instead of an enriching experience for their child(ren). It’s a vicious cycle that often means abandoned instruments, not to mention wasted time and money.
Below are a few links to articles that help break down the issue of childhood stress and the impact that this stress can have not just on the specific child, but on the family as a whole. You will also find that these articles help provide ways in which parents, and their children, can better cope with the hectic lifestyle that is indicative of this first tenth of the 21st century.
The Overbooked Child: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200301/the-overbooked-child
Extracurricular Activities: http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/school/involved_school.html#
Balancing School with Extracurricular Activities: http://www.everydayhealth.com/kids-health/balancing-school-with-extracurricular-activities.aspx
Avoid The Perils of Overcommitment: http://www.mommd.com/avoidovercommitting.shtml
Stress Solutions for Your Kids: http://www.parade.com/health/spring-health-guide/slideshow/stressed-out-kids.html
Reblogged this on and commented:
We at Park Cities School of Music know that each student that comes through our doors does so after a whole day of school. Coupling general school work, music lessons, and a slew of other extracurricular activities can drain anyone, let alone a kid. This is important information, and as such, we are re-blogging it for you.