Let's Talk About Music...and Sports...and Balance.

Maybe, she'll be a pianist..

As a musician, I have big dreams and probably slightly larger than life aspirations for when and what instruments we're going to start lessons for with Aria. For us, piano lessons are a given, and while I'm a singer and find value in teaching someone to sing properly, I also realize from personal experience that there's little value in teaching a 4 year old proper singing technique. Should I have her take violin and force myself to endure the squeaky shrieks of the first several years? Or maybe the clarinet and... well, no. That's just not going to happen. I took flute for many years and still have mine, so that's a possibility, but will her tiny little hands be able to reach? How long will it take her to make a noise, and by that time will she be too discouraged to keep playing? I could have Josh teach her the guitar, but most serious piano teachers aren't in favor of their students developing the callouses that go along with guitar. What other options do we have that won't cost an arm and a leg?

And these are just a few of the thoughts constantly running through my head.

...or maybe a chef...

We also want her to be balanced, so we both feel we should at least give her a shot at playing sports, although if she's anything like me, she'll do much better managing a team than actually playing on it. (I do hope for her that's not the case, but I did enjoy travelling with the teams, keeping the score books and learning more about sports. I can't play worth beans, but I can have intelligent conversations with my hubby and dad about football, basketball and baseball.) I'm kinda hoping she'll take after her dad in that department. For her sake.


There's something to be said for giving your child as many opportunities as you possibly can to find things they're interested in. Everyone wants a well-balanced child. However, usually with all the juggling going on in today's families, the home life tends to lose out. Between running to ballet, soccer practice, piano recitals and youth group scavenger hunts, today's kids know more about everything else in this world than their own family. My parents did an excellent job with this, I feel. We all took music lessons, sang in choir, played sports, (I met the bare minimum, for reasons mentioned above, but I did it!) worked hard on schoolwork, and always had dinner as a family. Note: not all of these activities happened in the same day. I don't know how my mom did it, but it happened.

...or maybe even a ballerina!

In the midst of all the craziness that is childhood nowadays (especially now as we're in the middle of the busiest time of year) it's hard - but important - to remember that kids still need a place to relax, a home filled with love and stability, and time to just be a kid. They need time to bond with family, and be able to talk to them. In the middle of all the carpooling and recital-sitting-through, don't forget to talk to your kids. There's more to who they are as a person than just the activities they're involved in - get to know that amazing kid of yours! There's more to a "well-balanced kid" than sports and music. Teach them what it means to be a family, too.