by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: May 19, 2010   Last Updated: May 20, 2010

Time and time again, we hear about studies that show the evidence of how much better children who have the advantage of music lessons do in school. There are many factors that come into play and that make children who have the advantage of a musical education excel academically, but it is more than the academic advantage. The effects of this musical education extend into the rest of their lives, and this results in even grater advantages later in life.

We may not be to put our finger on the exact advantage that children and young people who take music lessons have over others, but we certainly can examine some of the benefits. For the purposes of this article, we are looking at the benefits to children who study a musical instrument.

*Learning to be responsible -

Music lessons require that a child learn to be responsible because they must practice everyday. There may be an expectation that children learn to be responsible in other areas of their lives, but those other areas may be things that benefit the entire family and aren't something for which the child must be responsible because of and for themselves.

*Learning to manage time efficiently-

Students who take music lessons need to learn to be organized because they have to figure out how to spend enough time on everything they are expected to learn from lesson to lesson. This means allocating their time to the greatest advantage. A student who is going to do well in their music lessons, and by extension, in other areas of their life, will have to learn that they must devote just as much attention, if not more, to things they don't like learning as they do for the things that they do enjoy.

*Learning to be disciplined -

Music lessons force a child to develop a lot of self discipline. Very young children and those who are just starting out with their lessons may find that their parents supervise their early practicing and force them to practice for a prescribed period of time each day. Older children and those who have been taking lessons for a while will discover that they must now learn to do this for themselves. This is a good lesson because it will help them become much more disciplined later in life when at a time when being very disciplined is a way to ensure success. Because the study of a musical instrument requires the young student to be so disciplined about practicing their instrument, this discipline often extends into other areas of life, including other academic studying, work, being able to balance work, play and social life and much more.

Children who take music lessons learn to become much more well rounded people. When they take music lessons, they are often exposed to classical music, and classical music is known to soothe and calm people. Children who study music also develop a sense of curiosity about other things, especially other instruments, and that prompts them to take more initiative about their own learning. Greater academic success also leads to greater opportunities for college and college scholarships, and when we are living during a time of such economic instability and uncertainty, the more well educated you are, the better your chances for good, long term career employment.

Learn more about this author, Susan Klatz Beal.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.