Or is sport more important than music?

[Azquilith]

Having an argument with DP about our DS learning music in the future. DP was in an orchestra at school - do kids really play in orchestras any more? Surely it's a bit 1950s and playing sport is more important for development and making friends?

[PoppySeed2014]

Oh for goodness sake. This has to be a wind up. If it isn't it's incredibly depressing.

[TurboWithAKick]

he's not even 2 yet!!

[Azquilith]

Sorry not meaning to wind anyone up but just don't see how music lessons get you anywhere . No adults I know play anything but lots do sport.

[SecretNutellaFix]

Both are important.

But he's only two. Give him a chance to enjoy both before setting him on any path.

Personally, I found music to be more important for my mental health.

It has it's own challenges, and to be honest, in order to be a top notch performer you do need to be physically quite fit. Look at the breath control of wind and brass players, the strength and coordination needed to hold some of the larger instruments.

[PedlarsSpanner]

Hahaha

[treaclesoda]

Do the adults who you know who do sport do it professionally? Because if not, how has it 'got them anywhere'? If they're doing it for enjoyment, then it's no different to doing music for enjoyment.

And if you're talking about a young person having something to put on a cv, sport and music both fulfill a similar function - self discipline and possibly teamwork. So no difference there either.

[Yama]

This must be a reverse. Surely nobody could be this obtuse?

[DiaDuit]

Oh dear. I'm so for you OP. i dont even think it's funny how ignorant you are coming across as.

[SecretNutellaFix]

Musicians need discipline, concentration, problem solving skills, empathy, coordination.

Music builds up connections between brain and body- pianists have to read two lines of music and then get their arms, hands and feet working together to get it right.

Older musicians tend to be more mentally active.

[GreeboOgg]

Pass that bottle Poppy?

[PoppySeed2014]

Ok, I'll bite. Music teaches you patience, persistence, ability to work with others, concentration, delayed gratification, a life skill... Sport teaches many wonderful things too.

Giving a child the opportunity to learn an instrument has been shown time and time again to aid them in their academic studies.

And really, you don't know any adults who play anything?!

[PoppySeed2014]

It's Hendricks. Enjoy.

[SecretNutellaFix]

Music is everywhere- if you go into an old fashioned pub with a piano, the most popular person there will be the one playing, for fun or for drinks.

Music is something that should be accessible to everyone, regardless of any physical difficulties they may have. Regardless of age and talent. Sport, however is sadly not.

[motherinferior]

I know one adult - no, make that two, who 'plays sport' (as opposed to people who run or swim, the vasr majority of whom were PE-dodgers at school, including me). I know the second one because he sings in my chamber choir. I know lots of singers and a few other musicians.

I have one musical child and one unmusical one. Musical child has access to a huge range of musical activities provided through our local authority. Of course there are bloody orchestras.

[squoosh]

Music is a waste of time. So is art, and books, they're shit too.

I look forward to the day when music, art and books are replaced with badminton.

[Theas18]

Is it wind up?

Here's my windy uppy answer. Music is all. Sport is all very well..... But gets your child broken in many ways and often (yes DS I have lost count of the rugby injuries!)

DS shelved the rugby in favour of schools symphony orchestra in year 13 , with reluctance but the realisation if he wanted top a level grades he couldn't risk being " damaged" at any point.

His lovely GF smashed her ankle, badly, in semi pro footy just as study leave started. Hopefully her Physio place isn't at risk but she spent much of the exam period in hospital, or drugged up or in pain.

Can't beat music for making friends, team work yet learning to lead and also perform alone, my musicians have toured much more and better places than the sports teams...Good teen musicians can earn some money - don't think many non career sportspersons do that ( choral scholarship , singing at weddings and funerals - eldest, DS dep work singing and playing rare, but it's starting).

Schools and county music is still huge. The national youth orchestras / choirs/ brass bands / recorder orchestra etc etc etc should show you how much is going on.

[motherinferior]

And did you not notice the school orchestra when you were at school? I'm assuming you weren't at school in the 1950s...

[treaclesoda]

Thinking of people I went to school with, I know two who went on to be professional sportsmen.

And I know about a dozen who earn a bit of money from performing music. Now, the music is a sideline for them, some of them play the organ at weddings, some do a few gigs at the weekends. Their earnings might be a few thousand a year, which is obviously a lot less than the two professional sportsmen earned from their careers, but still, there are more of them who have 'done something' with music than with sport.

[Azquilith]

I honestly don't know anyone who plays anything, it's so expensive to buy an instrument surely. Other than singing I suppose. Cheap to have a kick about...

[wtffgs]

Clutches wine in despair!

Echo PP "are you for real?". Can you not do both?

I wish I had had more opportunities with music and sport - well, I think I have dyspraxic traits so was roundly ignored by PE staff at school. Music teaching was shite then too.

I hope my kids will fare better and not develop an either/or mentality. (Or neither/nor in my case )

[doubleshotespresso]

^^ squoosh could not have put it better myself

[motherinferior]

My daughter's instruments are hired v cheaply from the school music service.

[Azquilith]

There was an orchestra at school but I was never really interested. DP played double bass though (big chap). It's a big cello apparently.

[ArfurFoulkesayke]

Not really sure why, at 2, this is an "either / or" situation. It's good for kids IMO to get exposure to lots of different types of activity along the way.