What we choose to do in our spare time determines the lessons that inform our lives and values. For example, those who choose to invest their time in sports are bound to learn a thing or two about teamwork, trust in teammates, and how to handle pain, while those who choose to explore music expose themselves to a different subset of life lessons–many of which will help mold them into a better person. From understanding the importance of hard work to always staying humble, here are a few life lessons your child will learn while enrolled in guitar lessons.
Staying Humble
If your child loves playing the guitar and dedicates a lot of time to perfecting the instrument, they might eventually become one of the best players around. A hard lesson learned for those who are constantly praised for how good they are is understanding that they didn’t get there without the help of others. Whether it was their first guitar teacher who worked overtime to help them learn new chords and scales or their grandparents who skipped their annual vacation to help pay for lessons, they’ll come across individuals during their time as a guitar player who helped them get where they are today. Some of the most loved guitarists today are regarded because they treat others with respect–nobody likes a diva!
The Importance of Hard Work
It’s no secret that hard work leads to success, and guitar students know this more than anyone. From the joy of finally getting that difficult passage right to the thrill of their first live performance that went off without a hitch, hard work truly pays off in the world of music. If you truly believe that hard work pays off, enrolling your child in guitar lessons is a great way to help your child learn this valuable life lesson. Studies have shown that music students tend to be more disciplined and motivated than their friends who don’t take lessons, and instilling those values in your child is just one of the many benefits of music lessons. Plus, these lessons will carry on through their adult life. Success in business takes hard work, patience, and perseverance–instill these values in your child now, rather than later.
Making Mistakes Is Okay
Another important life lesson your child will learn while enrolled in guitar lessons is the idea that making mistakes is okay. Not only that, but that mistakes are an essential part of growth. As your child sees failures gradually turn into wins, they’ll begin to realize that nobody is perfect and everybody makes mistakes. Perfection in any area of life is almost never achieved without facing bumps in the road, and learning this lesson will help your child become a better student, friend, and future employee. Ultimately, your child will be able to accept rough points in their personal life as something that must be experienced in order to experience joy and success–a concept most adults still don’t have a grasp on!
Keeping an Open Mind
How someone interprets something is one of the things that makes music so beautiful–no two ears or minds are exactly alike, and what one person enjoys listening to another might hate. This concept will help your child keep an open mind when it comes to respecting the opinions and ideas of others, as some of their classmates and friends will enjoy listening to and playing the same music as them, and others won’t. And guess what? Neither person is wrong. The importance of this concept is one that will extend into other areas of your child’s life, from the lunchroom to the board room, molding them into a person who is a pleasure to work, live, and play with.
Setting Goals
Last but not least, enrolling your child in guitar lessons will help them learn how to set realistic goals, as most guitar teachers will encourage your child to set short-term and long-term goals in the classroom. At its core, music is very goal-oriented; in fact, it’s almost impossible to succeed without setting goals of all sizes along the way. Exposing your child to the process of setting goals (and working towards them) early on in life is one of the best things you can do to set them up for long-term success. Plus, goal setting can also foster their time management and overall organizational skills, something that’s valuable in all aspects of life.
You won’t learn much from your guitar if it isn’t in proper working order. Learn how to improve the tone of your guitar, and how to tell whether or not your guitar needs a set-up.