I like music. I can enjoy it intensely and I sing a lot while doing things with my little boy. I have a self invented new diaper song on the music of la cucaracha. A self invented naptime song on the theme of a religious song I learned as a child, and I often invent ditties on the spot to help get clothes on or to tell my little boy that I love him.
Despite all that, my love for music is rather.. nonchalant. Oh, I can enjoy good music quite a bit. I have never met someone who said he absolutely did not care about music. But before I had a little boy to sing to, it was not uncommon for me to put a cd on and realize as I did so that it had literally been days since I had heard any music. I wasn't in the habit of putting the radio on at home, I went by public transport, and I rarely thought about taking an Ipod or something with me when I travelled.
When I was younger I was in a choir, but despite a great deal of enthousiasm, I have absolutely no musical talent. If I want to learn how to sing a song, I need to hammer it in by repeating it over and over and over again until I get it right and it is almost etched in my vocal chords.
It is therefor somewhat of a surprise to see that my little boy has much more of a musical inclination than I have. When visiting his grandmother, not only was he fascinated by the piano (that did not surprise me that much, it has keys after all that he could press) but he was much more delicate and dedicated in trying to get music out of it. He really seemed to listen to what he played. He loves to sing, and the parts of mass that are easiest for him to deal with are parts where the congregation or the choir sings. At less than two years old he sings enthousiastically along, probably getting the melody better than his poor mommy. He seems to pick up songs very easily and claps enthousiastically along when the radio is on in the car and a Prokowiev piece comes to an end.
I wonder if he has inherited the musical talent from my father (it skipped a generation since I obviously didn't have it) or from my wonderful husband who seemed to have been pretty decent at the piano once upon a time. We are wondering if there is a piano in our future. And if so, at what time we should introduce it....
One thing is for sure, that is one talent his mommy will not be able to help him develop. But that does not mean she can't encourage it.
2 comments:
As a former music major I would suggest that you get one soon. If he is showing interest, the earlier you start his musical education, the better. Who knows, he could be a prodigy!
I am the mother of a 3 year old boy and since he was about 7 months I went to music classes with him every week. It gave us something fun to do. Apart from having fun during the 45 min class, and trying out shakers, sticks, bells, dancing with your baby etc. I learned that the younger they are the more open they are for music, for rhythm. I started to sing again more comfortably - I would have sung before but definitely not when I was with other people. That said you can encourage your son's ear for music through playing lots of different kinds of music and I am sure you both would enjoy a couple of sessions. They hand out CD's so you can listen in the car or at home and repetitiveness is key to enjoy it the fullest. Check out whether The Music Class or Music Together offers class times in your area - if not them, there might be another organization. We attended classes with both and their approach is unique: old and new tunes, tonal patterns, children's classics with a new twist (e.g. a jazzy version of Jack and Jill).
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