Bonding time is important for families. Our
society has become so digitally-ridden that it is hard to set aside that
crucial time to build relationships with one another. A wonderful way to
establish a strong bond is by using music. Music has a way of not only
elevating your mood, but paves the way for excelled academics for children when
they enter school, builds self-esteem and confidence, and even strengthens your
child’s social development.
So, how can you use music to bond? There are
several options that can introduce music into your child’s life, establish a
strong relationship and build upon their skills.
Simple Household Items As Instruments
We all can remember being very young, in the
kitchen with Mom (or Dad) and banging on metal pots and pans with wooden
spoons. With your own children, you can seize this opportunity to not only try
to get your child learning rhythm but also learning songs.
You’re already introducing music into their
life, and you can build a bond by showing them how banging creates a beat.
Start singing a simple song to the beat such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”
so your child can acknowledge that the beat goes with the music. Introducing
the music into your child’s life this way creates bonding from the get-go.
Create Traditions That Revolve Around
Music
You can make many traditions revolving around music. Just as establishing the bond with beating on the pots and pans can become something you do daily when in the kitchen, you can introduce different instruments to your child and have them explore the unique sounds each one makes. This cultivates an interest in different forms of music and may even spark a creative interest in a particular instrument that your child can learn. If you’re a new mom, remember that even when your baby is in the womb it is encouraged to play music to your baby as soon as they are able to hear it. The reason for that is that it introduced to sound and in turn, starts to build a bond.
If you’re not sure how to begin with introducing music, you can try some simple things such as just singing a lullaby to your child in the evenings, turning the living room into a dance party to dance around, or maybe even just playing music during craft time or other activities you engage with your child in. The more often you include the music, it can easily become a routine and make an impact. Singing has actually been proven to release Oxytocin, which is a bonding hormone, so even if you don’t think you sing well you should do it anyway!
Encourage Expression and Creativity
Music has this magical power of allowing
people to express themselves in a creative outlet. Being able to express
yourself has a profound positive impact. You can throw cares away because there
is no judgment, only support and encouragement. Creativity flows since the
expression allows your child to release emotions and energy.
You also get the added benefit of exercise for
both the mind and the body when you
let the music lighten the mood. We all have tough days. You can easily uplift
the mood within a room with some happy music. Not only will you encourage your
child to stay positive, but you will also work on enhancing your own moods as
well.
There was even a study at Harvard that demonstrated how with young children, you should be playing, singing and dancing to music with them as they grow. It brings you closer to them by creating an attachment.
Take Music Lessons
Another great way to keep music involved to help bond with your children is through encouraging singing classes or private voice lessons. Lessons provide structure in addition to the creativity and expressiveness that comes from learning to make music. Taking these lessons together with your child is also another great, beneficial way to establish a fun memory that’ll have a lasting impact on your child.
You can easily take music lessons online
nowadays too, so you don’t even have to worry about leaving the house. You can
work to find a teacher that’d allow you to do the lessons together, so it can
be a fun activity for you to share. If singing isn’t your forte, you can look
into learning an instrument together or even taking a dance class.
Academic Factors
Music has this ability to assist children when
they are still very young to learn how to talk. The words within the songs can
help children to identify different words and their meanings at an early age,
and the song pattern can be easily repeated. This develops into evolving
through a child’s understanding of words and later, reading.
An activity that you can try with your child
is to get some toy props that pertain to a certain song, such as “Row Your
Boat.” You can point to the boat every time the word is used in the song, and
it will engage your child and assist them in easily being able to identify what
a boat is. Simple, fun ways to teach your child like this with music will aid
in more advanced academics when your child gets to school age.
Music Is The Best Bonding Tool
If you are a parent that loves music in any
capacity, be sure that you utilize that and engage your child with it. Teaching
your child to have a passion or a hobby is a great example of encouraging the
importance of establishing oneself. Music is the best form of establishing a
simple connection with your children, with added benefits to encourage
creativeness, evoke emotions and feelings, and lead to a strong foundational
relationship.
As your child grows, their tastes in music may
change. You might not like those changes, but don’t forget that it all started
with your encouragement to be expressive, and continue to nurture that
relationship by being open to sharing your musical tastes together. Creating
that bond early on aids in showing that you take interest in your children,
which they won’t ever forget because making those memories will have a lasting
impact.
About the author
Donna Maurer is a Content Creator living in New York City. Donna has written on a variety of topics for publications such as Marriage.comThe Hearty Soul and many others. Check out her work at her website or on LinkedIn.
