FROM A MUSIC PARENT:

One of my friends asked, “Why do you pay so much money and spend so much time running around for your daughter to take music lessons?” Well I have a confession to make: I don’t pay for my daughter’s music lessons. Or her instrument or books…

So, if I am not paying for music lessons, what am I paying for?

– I pay for those moments when my girl becomes so tired she feels like quitting but doesn’t.

– I pay for the opportunity that my girl can have and will have to make life-long friendships. 

– I pay for the chance that she may have amazing instructors that will teach her that music is not just about playing an instrument but about life.

– I pay for my child to learn to be disciplined. 

– I pay for my daughter to learn to work with others and to be a proud , supportive, kind and respectful of others.

– I pay for my child to learn to deal with disappointment, when her recital doesn’t go as perfectly as she hoped for but still she continues and is determined to do her BEST next time…

– I pay for my girl to learn to make and accomplish goals. 

– I pay for my daughter to learn that it takes hours and hours and hours and hours of hard work and practice to create an artist, and that success does not happen overnight. 

– I pay so that my daughter can pursue a skill instead of sitting in front of a screen…

I could go on but, to be short, I don’t pay for music lessons; I pay for the opportunities that music provides my child to develop attributes that will serve her well throughout her life and give her the opportunity to bless the lives of others. From what I have seen for many, many years, I think it is a great investment!

Author:  S. Martin